We're All Brave
by Southern Spell
Summary: I'm the librarian at Xavier's. My brother is an ex-member of the Brotherhood. I've developed a case of Stockholm Syndrome where Pyro is concerned; which is really unhealthy since I'm not a mutant. *Chap. 31 Re-Written*
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thanks to everyone for their wonderful reviews for "We're All Scared." Also credit and thanks to DamnBlackHeart for the title, because I'm awful at them. It was the one that seemed to make the most sense to me.**

**Chapter 1**

I pushed open the door to my apartment then reset the alarm system. It was late, Logan's training session had lasted longer than normal and I was tired. I dropped my purse down on the counter and didn't bother with turning lights on as I headed toward my bedroom. All I wanted was to crash.

I was struggling out of my shoes and jacket when a sharp knock sounded. Pausing in my efforts to dress down and get in bed I listened to see if I had heard right. Another rapping came from my door and I frowned. It was way too late for some to just be popping in; not that anyone ever just popped in. I walked back over to the door, flipping on the living room light. Squinting through the peep hole I found Rogue on the other side.

Opening up quickly, I wondered what was going on. She usually called if she was going to stop by.

"I'm sorry." She said before I could say anything. "I know it's late, and…but I was hoping you'd let me stay the night."

I stepped back as I nodded. "Yea, of course. What's wrong?" And there was something wrong. If I didn't know any better I'd say she'd been crying.

She shook her head as she came in. "Nothing. I just needed a night away."

"Okay." I said slowly, locking back up.

"I won't bother you. I know it's late and you probably want to get some sleep."

"It's no bother." I assured her. "But for real, what's going on?"

Rogue raised her gloved hands. "This." She said like that explained it all.

"Your powers?" I asked, a little confused.

"Yes. No. It's Remy."

My eyebrows shot up as I followed her to my couch where we both sat down.

"God. I just want to kill him." She looked ready for murder too.

"What happen?" I knew Gambit got on her nerves, did it on purpose most of the time, but I'd never seen her so angry with him before.

She went from murderess to looking deflated. "I caught him coming out of Kitty's room."

"Oh." I responded surprised. I thought about that for a moment. Kitty and Bobby had broken up from what I heard about a month ago, making her free game, but most everyone considered Gambit and Rogue as each other's…even though neither one had ever made claim to the other one. I mean they hadn't even admitted to there being anything between them, but everyone just _knew. _

"I know. This is so stupid. It's not like he's my boyfriend or anything, but…I just…I don't know." Rogue looked so sad.

I felt terrible for her.

"I don't know why it's affected me like this. I know there can't be anything between us, despite what he says." _Oh_, so there had been romantic talk between the two of them that I hadn't known about. "I can't give him what he needs."

I didn't know what to say. It was so unfair and my heart ached for her. "I'm sorry Rogue." I said, leaning in and gave her a sisterly hug. I hoped a little contact might make her feel better.

"I'm sorry. None of this is your fault." She said as I patted her back before setting back. "I'll be okay once I get some sleep."

I nodded, hoping she was right. "We can talk about it, or you can just vent for awhile. I won't mind."

Rogue sighed. "Thanks, but I think I'd just like some sleep right now."

"You can take the bed, it's more comfortable." I offered, wanting to make her feel better even though I knew there wasn't much I could do.

She shook her head and tried for a smile. "That's okay. I know you had some bonding time with Logan today. You look like you're about to fall over."

I snorted. "Yea, bonding time. That's what we had." I stood up. "I'll get you some blankets and stuff. You know where everything is if you need something. Help yourself if you're hungry or get thirsty."

I brought her back some blankets and a pillow and she insisted that she'd be okay and that I should just go on to bed. Which I did, and waited for sleep.

Since coming to Xavier's School for the Gifted a more than a year ago Rogue had become my best friend. The fact that I was a couple years younger didn't bother her and her being a mutant didn't matter to me. What a turnabout that was from before I had come. Things had certainly changed; some good, some not so good.

I mean you wouldn't count being kidnapped by the Brotherhood a great thing, but in the few months since then things haven't been that bad. The weather, for one, had warmed up. These New York winters were just too cold for me so I couldn't complain about the summer heat. My brother was at the school now too, and while we weren't really on speaking terms I didn't have to worry about him the way I had before. For the most part we avoided each other and didn't talk if we could help it, but at least I knew he was alive. I was running the library like I had before my abduction, and enjoyed it. The Professor had talked me into applying to the local colleges in the area and I was waiting for word back. I had recently gotten a car; not new, but it was nice. Logan had looked it over and okayed it for me before I'd bought it, and it was running fine.

The Brotherhood seemed to be leaving me and Otto out of their agenda, for the time being at least. No one had tried to kidnap me lately. A fact I was very grateful for. I'd managed to push most thoughts of Pyro out of my mind, every once in awhile the Brotherhood would be mentioned in the news and he'd pop up to the front of my mind and stay there for the rest of the day. A few times I'd thought about asking Rogue about him, but didn't want to clue her in on anything. My little, twisted crush was something I wanted to keep to myself.

Before I knew it I jerked awake to my alarm clock going off. It was one of those really loud and annoying ones, because I'm not a morning person and I need something that will get me moving, if only to shut it up. I stumbled out of my bedroom like I did every morning, not really awake but moving, feeling like a zombie.

"I made coffee." Rogue said from the kitchen area.

I glanced over at her as I mumbled something that sounded like thanks. She was already showered and dressed, eating a bowl of Captain Crunch (none of that healthy granola cereal for my house, it was all sugar and food coloring for me please).I kept shuffling along until I got into the shower. I woke up after I'd been dowsed in water. I came back out and fixed myself a cup of coffee, with lots of sugar and cream, and a bowl of cereal.

"Thanks again for letting me stay." She said as she closed one of my old Cosmo magazines that had been lying around.

I waved my hand at her. "No problem. You're welcome to stay anytime." I shoved a big spoon full of Crunch Berries and milk in my mouth, and started chopping down on it. "Feel better?"

A bitter smirk crossed her face. "I'll survive."

I nodded. I guess that was the best one could hope for. The closest I could relate to her situation was being dumped, and that had sucked, but for her it had to be a hundred times worse. We finished up breakfast and getting ready. I stopped and picked up my mail on my way out. Rogue said she was going to run a few errands before going to the school, but she'd meet up with me for lunch.

After opening up the library and setting out the daily newspapers and the other little things that took about an hour each morning, I remembered my mail. I pulled it out of my purse and flipped through it. Mostly bills but there were two envelopes from two of the schools I had put applications in at.

I thought about waiting to open them later, with Rogue around, but the not knowing was going to kill me. So I ripped into the first one and from the first line I knew I hadn't been accepted. I felt like a failure, I didn't open the second nearly as enthusiastically. It was about the same thickness as the other one, and I kept kicking myself. Wishing I'd had the sense to have done better in school, been a little less worried about my friends and what party I was going to, and tried out for an extracurricular. I would have been perfect for cheerleading, for goodness sakes, _and _it might have helped with my coordination. I berated myself as I started reading the second letter for all my stupidity but forgot all about it when I read that I'd been accepted. Then to make sure I'd read it right, I reread the whole letter three more times. A stupid grin spread across my face, because I couldn't believe that I'd done it. I jumped out of my seat and put up my "Be back in 15" sign and rushed to the Proffesor's office to tell him. I was too excited to keep it to myself.

I knocked on the door and got a come in. He had a smile and a congratulations for me before I could even say anything.

"I got in." I said anyway.

"I knew you could." All encouraging.

"Thank you." I grinned at him; he was probably the only person who knew me that would say that. I couldn't even have said it about myself, but he'd been telling me that since he'd first brought up applying to college. No one had ever counted on me continuing my education, or even being able to with my average to below average grades. Not that I was stupid, I just hadn't cared. Well, okay, I take that back. Otto had told me if I had wanted to go to college I could. He'd told me it wasn't a question of my intelligence, just a lack of interest on my part. When he'd tell me that I'd roll my eyes and say he was right, I hated school.

There was a sharp knock on the open door and I looked back to see Otto. My smile slipped.

"You wanted to see speak with me?" He asked the Professor, barely giving me a glance. There really was no hiding our family resemblance. We both had the same dark brown hair, hazel eyes, but his skin was a couple shades darker than mine, making him seem tan, something I'd always been jealous of. Looking at him made me miss him even more.

"Yes." The Professor nodded to Otto, welcoming expression on his face.

I thought about telling Otto about being accepted to college, but didn't. I wasn't sure if I'd get a disinterested congrats or an insult or even worse, no acknowledgement at all. I decided I didn't want to dim my excitement anymore than it had been by not feeling able to tell him. I glanced down at the letter in my hand and carefully folded it.

"I'm going to head back to the library." I said, summoning up a smile for the Professor.

The Professor nodded, and gave me another congratulations. Otto raised a curious eyebrow at me as I passed by him, but didn't say anything.

I went back to the library, and stayed busy until lunch rolled around. Gambit came in a few minutes before my lunch hour started. I couldn't see those odd eyes of his, because as normal they were behind a pair of sunglasses, but his mouth was set in a straight line, no devilish curve to it at all. I felt guilty for not wanting to throw him out because I knew he was waiting for Rogue, but the truth was even if he had hook up with Kitty I couldn't hate Gambit. I felt like a terrible friend, but I gave him a sad smile as I set up my "at lunch" sign. Gambit nodded once at me, then turned his head as Rogue came in. She glared at him before spinning on her heel and walking back out.

"Wait Rogue!" Gambit was up and out the door after her.

I shook my head, deciding I'd visit with Kurt for lunch.

He was welcoming as usual when I found him, and when I told him about my getting accepted to one of the schools I'd applied to he was thrilled. The Professor might have been the one who encouraged me, but it had been Kurt who'd helped with filling out applications. I'd start in the fall semester, which was quickly approaching, much to my displeasure. I hated to see the summer drawing to a close; I enjoyed the warmer weather.

About an hour after my lunch Rogue stopped by to apologize for ditching me. I told her not to worry about it, and asked her what had happened. Rogue just shrugged and said she'd tell me later. I knew the real problem wasn't Gambit, not to say that hadn't hurt, but it was more centered on her inability to control her powers. I got the feeling she just didn't want to talk about it. So for a change of subject I showed her my acceptance letter. For my benefit she tried to be enthusiastic.

Before she left I told her if she wanted to stay another night at my place she was welcomed to. I closed the library up and headed out at my normal hour. Traffic was light thankful and I made it home in one piece after picking up some take out. When I home the first thing I did was hang my acceptance letter on my refrigerator, like a little kids art work, and grinned proudly as I did it.

Dinner and a movie I'd checked out from the school's library were my plans for that night. I should have been out jogging while there was still day light left, something I'd taken up on the days I didn't train with Logan. I needed to be in shape - something that was coming very slowly for me - to keep up with him; another something that was not my strong point. But I reasoned this was my celebration for getting into college and I'd be okay if I skipped one day.

After the movie was over, and I'd taken a hot bath to ease muscles that were still sore for the day before's training I went to bed. However, I the moment I laid down, there was a sharp knock on the door. I got up and headed for the door, knowing it was Rogue.

"Hold on, I'm coming." I told her.

I unlocked the door without looking and opened it up to find it wasn't Rogue.

**A/N: Ya'll are smart people so I know this wasn't much of a cliffhanger, but I hope you enjoyed the chapter anyway.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the great reviews! Ya'll are AWESOME! Everyone pretty much guess right on the cliffhanger. (I had originally written it with the intend that the last chapter would be longer and it was Otto paying a visit but decided to not go that way.) **

**Chapter 2:**

Pryo smirked at me.

I slammed the door shut in his face and locked it with trembling hands. I leaned against, like he might try to break the door down, and wondered what I should do. The best I could come up with between the '_OhmyGOD!_'s' that kept running through my head like a broken record player was to call the school for help.

He knocked again. "That was rude."

I could just see the smirk on his face.

"Yea, well so…so is whatever you're here to do." Because no way was he here just to say hi. I would bet anything that Magneto had some involvement.

"I'm not here to do anything." He said through the door.

"Says the guy that dragged me out of my apartment last time he paid me a visit." Stockholm crush or not, I knew letting him in wasn't a good idea.

There was a silence, and then an angry "Fine", before I heard receding footfalls.

Not really a response I had expected. I frowned. He was leaving? Why had he come at all? This had to be some sort of trick. I opened the door up lighting fast and stuck my head out to see him walking toward the elevator.

"What do you want?" I asked. Nope, survival instincts are not my strong point.

He stopped and turned to look at me, the anger on his face turning to arrgonce, liked he'd won. "Nothing."

"So you show up out of nowhere just to scare the holy hell out of me?" I asked annoyed, crossing my arms over my chest. I didn't step out into the hall, but opened my door a little wider with my hip.

He smirked. "You're not scared of me."

"I'm scared of everything." I said just to be augmentative.

"I wouldn't be here if you where."

I frowned, not sure what he was getting at. "Why _are _you here?"

He shrugged, all causal like. "I was in the area, decided to drop in."

I narrowed my eyes on him. "I'm supposed to believe that?"

"Oh, c'mon." He walked back over to me. "Just let me."

"No. You might set my couch on fire or something." Plus, I was alittle too glad to see him and that just wasn't right so he needed to go.

He held out his lighter. "You can hold on to it."

Really? He had to have another one on him. He wouldn't just hand over something so important to his powers, something I'd never seen him without.

"Well?" He asked with impatience.

I opened my mouth to tell him to forget it, but was inturrupted by the older man across the hall. I reckon we were talking too loudly because the grumpy old man poked his head out his door and told us to shut up. Rude, no?

Pyro spun on the old man. Terrified, I snatched the lighter out of his hand, not trusting him to not to hurt the old man, and pulled him backwards into my apartment. Not that I trusted him with me either, but I figured I had a better chance than the old man. I knew what I was dealing with.

"I wasn't going to hurt him." He was laughing at me when I closed the door. I didn't bother locking it, just in case I needed to make a run for it. I flipped the lights on just so he could see me glare at him.

"I'm holding on to this." I clutched his lighter in my fist. I resisted the urge to tell him to empty his pockets, incase he was hiding another one.

"Please tell me you aren't wearing My Little Pony." He looked disgustedly at my comfortable pajama bottoms.

"So." I said, wishing I'd had put on something not so childish, but it wasn't like I'd planned on having a guy over. Especially not this one.

"That's hot." His mocking expression matched his mocking tone.

I rolled my eyes, hoping he didn't notice how red my face was turning, and other wise ignored the remark. "Pyro. Seriously. Why are you here?"

He shrugged. "I was bored. Things are slow right now."

I raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "You mean the Brotherhood is going through a down time?"

"Sure."

"So you thought you'd come pay me a late night visit?"

"Stop complaining." The look he shot me was annoyed.

I sighed, as I watched him glance around my small apartment. "You got anything to eat?"

"You're kidding right?"

"I'm hungry." He moved to the refrigerator.

"Pyro." I said slowly. "You really need to tell me why you're here. If this is about Otto or Magneto sent you, don't think-"

He shut my fridge door a little too hard and glared at me. "Magneto and your brother have nothing to do with anything."

Both my eyebrows shot up in surprise. I'd made him angry, although I wasn't sure why. What else was I supposed to think with him just showing up out of the blue? I thought over my options, as he continued to glare at me. I could make him leave. I could call the school and get help if he wouldn't go. Those would be the smart things to do.

"There's left over Chinese in there from earlier tonight, or you can make yourself a sandwich. I've got spaghetti o's in the cabinet." I don't know why I didn't just send him packing.

"Thanks." He muttered, grabbing the bread off the counter.

A couple of minutes ticked past as he made his sandwich and I sat down at the table. He put everything back where he had gotten it when he finished and took a seat across from me.

"So you're still a librarian?" He asked before taking a bite.

"Yea. You still a terrorist?" Did he really think he could just come here and…I don't know… act like old friends?

The look he shot me said he didn't appreciate the question. "Yep." Then he jerked his head toward the fridge. "You're going to start college?"

I glanced over at the acceptance letter on the fridge. I'd forgotten all about it thanks to him. "Yea, the Professor talked me into it."

"What? Not Shadow?" He asked with a mix of sincerity and sarcasm.

I frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged. "He was the one always reading. You don't look like the type to like school, and your file shows it."

"My file? What file?"

"Mystique had one on you. School records, doctor records, anything you ever did, she has it in there."

"What? Why would she have that? You read it!?!" I liked the idea of him reading it even less than I liked Mystique having it.

His smirk came back. "She made it before we got you. And I read it after you left, _Annabella._"

"Don't call me that." I said.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't go by that _John_." I shot back at him.

"_Touché_." He pushed his empty plate away, having eaten the sandwich quickly.

"What did it have in it?" Curiosity got the best of me.

Pyro shrugged. "The basics."

"I don't know what the basics are." _Duh_.

That got me an eye roll."No known allergies. You broke your arm when you were ten. Lots of D's and C's in school and was suspended in junior high for fighting, but that didn't stop you from being Homecoming Queen later. You're from Georgia and you've lived your entire life in the same house in a small town called Resaca. Well, until recently that is."

All the information was stuff just about anyone could find out if they looked, but I still didn't like him knowing things about me. Especially when I didn't know anything personal about him.

"How much of that did Otto tell you?" I asked. I couldn't hide how unhappy I was to know he knew _anything_ about me other than what I'd told him.

He thought for a second. "None of it. He didn't talk about his past much."

"So he didn't talk about me?" _Good._

"I didn't say that." He looked amused at my annoyance. "He didn't talk about any of his family to anyone, except you and only when it was just the two of us. That's how I knew how to get his attention after he had left the Brotherhood and you'd made it so much easier by letting us know where to find you by using Xavier's help. After he betrayed us, we didn't even have to look for you."

"Are you gloating?" I glared hard at him, wondering if I could get away with slapping him because I _really _wanted to knock the aroggance off his face.

"A little." He said it with a smile, but then turned serious. "But you don't know anything about surviving in this world. You make yourself too easy of a target."

"I don't want to hear it from you." I snapped, and leaned back in my seat with my arms crossed.

"You know most people would have moved after being kidnapped from their home." He raised an eyebrow.

"Well if I would have done that how would you have found me?" I asked sarcastically.

"I would have found you anyway."

"My point exactly." There wasn't anywhere I could hind that the Brotherhood couldn't find. The safest place was at the school, but I wasn't giving up my independence. Not that I thought the Professor or others would try to run my life, but I didn't want to be totally dependent on them.

"Why'd you let me go?" I asked suddenly, hoping I'd catch him off guard and he'd answer.

He blinked, obviously surprised, but he chose his words carefully. "Magneto would have ended up killing you or Shadow, and I owed Shadow."

"Oh." I wanted to know why he had kissed me. But I didn't have the courage for all that. "What do you mean you owed Otto?"

Unsparingly he ignored my question. "Did you tell anyone?" His face was serious.

"The Professor. It's not like I could lie to him." I reasoned.

He opened his mouth to say something but stopped and pulled out a vibrating cell phone. A soft curse escaped him, but he didn't answer it.

"I've got to go." He looked up at me, his expression almost apologetic.

"Can't they track you on that?" I asked, a little worried.

"Nah, I fixed that." He shoved it back in his pocket, then, almost bitterly, said. "Don't worry, I don't want the Brotherhood anymore than you do."

I raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were all about the Brotherhood?"

He snorted as he stood up. "Even Magneto needs a break."

"Is that why you came here? You wanted a break?" I asked, because I just couldn't understand why he was here.

Pyro didn't say anything, as he quickly washed his plate and put it in the drain, then turned back around. "You going to tell anyone I was here?"

I shook my head no, knowing I wouldn't, but not understanding what was stopping me. "Are you?" If I wasn't going to tell, then I didn't want it getting around that he'd been here. That could look really bad.

"No." He snorted. "But I won't be back." He clarified for me.

"Fine by me." I told him, not wanting him to think over wise as I gave him an indifferent look.

He grinned and I resisted the urge to return it as he headed toward the door. Without a goodbye he left. After the door closed softly behind him, I waited a minute then ran to the door. I checked out in the hall to make sure he was gone and he was. It was minutes later that I realized I was still clutching his lighter in my left fist.

_Random _was the word that kept popping up in my head. I didn't know what to think about any of it.

To state the obvious, I didn't get any sleep that night. I was wired; every small sound had me checking for someone in my apartment, and my thoughts went in a big circle. I argued that it wasn't being paranoid after you'd been abducted from your home to keep checking the locks, it was cautiousness. And I wasn't checking to see if Pyro was back because I wanted him to, I was just being paranoid.

I made it to work early the next day, and the day dragged on and on. I'd never been one who could pull on all nighter. I needed sleep to perform. I avoided the Professor, not wanting him to find out about Pyro's visit, and with it so fresh in my mind there was no way I wouldn't give it away if I got near him. It was all I could think about. I was distracted all day thanks to it, and I was exhausted. I thought about asking Logan if we could skip the session, but doubted he'd let me get out of it.

I should have asked anyway I decided half way through, when I landed on my backside for the hundredth time with the wind knocked out of me.

"What's wrong with you today?" Logan frowned at me.

"Didn't...get …any sleep." I wheezed. My insides felt like they were on fire. Having the air knocked out of you just flat out hurts.

"Why not?" He raised an eyebrow.

I shrugged, figuring the less talking I did, the less it would feel like lieing.

Logan rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at the clock on the wall. "Fine. We'll meet up again tomorrow, but don't think that lets you off the hook for the day after."

I nodded, thankful. Then accepted the hand he offered and he pulled me to my feet.

"Go home and rest up." He ordered me as we started to leave the training area.

"Thanks." I told him as I headed in the opposite direction as him to go change.

I changed quickly, and went out to my car. Sitting in the driver's seat I pulled out my keys from my purse, Pyro's lighter came with them. I looked at it like I had done several times that day when no one had been around. It was a reminder that I could be in serious trouble, and I was being stupid for not telling anyone. I let my head hit the steering wheel with a thump, knowing I was probably making a fatal mistake by not telling someone what had happened last night, for having any amount of trust in Pyro was lethal for my health. And yes, though, I didn't want to admit it, I had a small amount of trust in him not to outright hurt me…not that I'd ever admit that to him.

I forced thoughts of Pyro away in case the Professor was around to pick up on them, and put the lighter back in my purse then started up my car and went home.

**A/N: I've never been to Resaca and know nothing about it except that it's a real place. I just needed a name of a small town. Don't forget to leave a review, I love getting feedback from all of you.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks everyone for the awesome reviews!**

Days passed, with no sign of Pyro, and I had to remind myself that was a good thing. He was, after all, part of the Brotherhood, and technically the enemy.

_Enem_y. That just seemed too strong of a word, and thinking it was too strong kind of scared me. Made me feel like I couldn't trust myself where he was concerned.

The summer school classes were coming to a close at Xavier's, and Kurt and the other teachers were starting to prepare for the new school year. I was working on filling out all the paper work for my financial aid, and getting student loans before I started my first semester in college. There was no way I'd be able to afford going otherwise.

I was thinking over the things left that I needed to finish up for all that while I was re-shelving books when I noticed two students peeking around the row in front of mine. Both were girls and sophomores, they'd come in earlier from Ms. Monroe's class to work on a research project.

"He's so hot." The blond whispered, but still loud enough for me to hear.

"Hot!? Try gorgeous!" The red head said at the same volume.

Both girls broke out giggling as they continued to keep checking out whatever boy that had their attention, obviously unaware that I was behind them.

I chuckled silently to myself and left them be as I went back to finishing up what I was doing. It made me think of being in school again. I'd done the same thing whenever I saw Eric Johnson; he had been a senior to my freshman. Besides, who was I to get on to them about not doing their class work? I mean it wasn't like I'd ever been the ideal student.

One of the girls gasped, catching my attention again. "He's coming this way."

I grinned as they both started to pretend to be looking at the books on the shelves, appearing to be busy. My curiosity got the better of me and I watched for the boy they'd been checking out. A moment later he walked past and my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw it was Otto.

I had to turn and walk away; otherwise the girls and him would have heard me trying to choke down my laughter. I went and hide in the library's office so they wouldn't hear me. Don't get me wrong, I'd heard all about how cute my brother was since I started school, but since when had he become gorgeous? And I really didn't know why I found it so hysterical either. I guess my brother was just the last person I expected them to be talking about. The way they'd acted I'd figured it had been Gambit they were spying on.

I got myself together and found Otto waiting to check out a book; behind him the two girls were watching him. I raised an eyebrow at them; they took it as a warning and got back to work. I didn't say anything to Otto as I picked up the book he'd laid on the counter. It wasn't the first time he'd come in here, and it was the only way I saw him anymore.

"College?" His voice startled me.

I jerked my gaze up for a moment to meet his, before dropping it back down. "Yea. I got in to college." I almost asked who told him, but knew already. The Professor was our go between guy these days, keeping us up to date on the other one if something came up. He was the only who thought there was anything salvageable between Otto and me.

I prepared myself for whatever he was going to say, expecting the worst.

He hesitated. "Congratulations."

It took several seconds for it to sink in, and I wasn't quick enough covering up my surprise. "Thanks…thank you."

He nodded, but didn't say anything else as he grabbed his book and left.

I watched the door for a moment even after he'd closed it, with mixed feelings. Part of me wanted to hope that was a sign of things getting better between me and Otto, but another part of me, the realistic part, refused to read more into it. I reasoned that Otto probably felt it was best not to be childish about things any more since we were going to continue to run into each other. He didn't want me around but he was dealing with it.

Rogue came wandering up; I hadn't seen her come in, but she brought me out of my depressing thoughts and I was grateful. She still hadn't told me about what had gone on with her and Gambit, but I wasn't going to push. No matter how bad my curiosity was.

The two girls left moments later, and I smirked after them.

"What?" She followed my gaze as I watched the library doors close after the girls.

I told her about what had happen, figuring she'd find the humor in it. "They said he was gorgeous." I shook my head as I headed back over to the cart I'd left behind when I'd rushed off to hide in the office.

"Uh, Bell, he kind of is." She gave me a look that I could only describe as 'duh', as she followed me. It just looked so out of character on her face it was comical.

My eyebrows shot up. "You're kidding."

"Oh c'mon. Don't look at me like that. He's hot. If he wasn't your brother you'd think the same thing."

"Eww. Gross." The little sister in me kicked in and I wrinkled my nose at her as I got to my cart, still half full with books.

"Yea, well, you may think that but the female population of students don't." She said as she leaned against the book shelves. "They see this super hot, older, brooding guy and he's kind of dangerous thanks to his past involvement with the Brotherhood."

"I think you've been reading to many romances Rogue." I chuckled as I started to re-shelf books

She rolled her eyes.

"And brooding?" I cocked a questioning brow at her.

She shrugged. "He doesn't really talk to anyone. Even when we are training he'll keep to himself." I'd forgotten that since Otto was part of the Professors' team that he and Rogue trained together.

"He wasn't always like that." All humor left me.

"No?" She picked up a book from the shelf and scanned the back of it.

"Nope." God, it hurt thinking about the person he used to be.

"What was he like then?"

I paused to think. "Just about the opposite of how he is now."

"Like?" She pressed, which surprised me since she usually didn't try to be intrusive.

I shrugged. "Otto was a normal All-American, small town boy. He made good grades, didn't get into trouble, always home by curfew. He was captain of the football team, had a lot of friends, plenty of girlfriends, even teachers liked him. He liked cars alot; him and Daddy were the family's mechanics. Otto was a happy person, didn't have a mean bone in him." I sighed heavily. "We weren't much alike."

"You two were close, though." She made it sound like a fact.

I glanced over at her as I kept putting books up. "I used to think so."

Rogue was quite for a moment. "You had no idea that he was a mutant?"

I shook my head. "None. No one did."

"How did you find out then?"

I almost didn't tell her, but figured it wouldn't hurt anything. She knew I hated been pro-muntant before coming to Westchester. "I came home one night, him and Daddy were arguing and Mama was crying. Daddy took a swing at Otto and the next thing I know Otto disappears." It's unbelievable that was a little more than two years ago.

"That's crazy." She shook her head.

I nodded. "How'd your family take finding out about you?"

A bitter smile curved her lips. "Not any better, but they'd seen what I could do."

"Had they?" I could only imagine how bad that had been.

"Yea. It might not have been so bad if it weren't for my powers."

I nodded, wondering how she'd found out about them.

Then like she'd read my mind, Rogue told me the answer. "I kissed a boy-my first kiss in fact, and I put him in a coma."

The only word that came to mind was awful. "I'm sorry." I didn't know what else to say. My problems shrunk in comparison to hers.

Rogue just shrugged.

"You'll figure out how to get control." I reached over and patted her on the back.

"Yea." She didn't look like she believed it.

We changed the subject altogether while I finished putting the books up, before going back to the front desk. Eventually she left the library, but when the day was done I meet up with her for a movie.

I sat cross legged on the extra bed in Rogues room, I'd kicked off my flats before hand and had gotten an eye roll from her thanks to the lime green polish on my toes nails. She set down on her bed and used the remote to start the DVD player. It was Friday night, and I marveled at how much tamer my weekend excitement had gotten, but I wasn't complaining. I'd had fun with my friends in Georgia, but Rogue was the first girl friend I'd ever had that I didn't have to worry about going behind my back to talk about me.

We settled in to watched _P.S.I Love You_. I'd been reluctant since Gerard Butler's character died in it (and I had a thing for Gerard Butler), but Rogue had seen it and promised me a happy ending.

"You lied." I glared at her after the movie was over. "There was no happy ending."

She looked offended. "Yes there was. She's moving on and becoming successful-"

She stopped when I continued to glared. "That's not a happy ending." I said.

"What would have been one then?" She asked with a smirk.

"I don't know. Not that though." I crossed my arms, pouting a little. I hated story's that didn't have a happy ending. Life could be depressing enough, movies didn't need to add to it.

She laughed at me. "So you didn't like the movie?"

"I did." I admitted reluctantly. "But _still_."

Rogue stood up and pulled a book from the collection she had on her shelf. "Here, read the book then."

I accepted the hardcover she handed me.

"It's different than the movie, but it's still good."

I scanned the description on the inside flap of the cover. I wasn't really into reading, but I might try reading this. I _had_ liked the movie, no happy ending and all. Flipping through the pages as I listened to Rogue talk about the book and movie, something slipped out and fell to the floor.

I frowned and picked it up. Flipping it over I saw it was a picture, seeing who was in it had me shocked. Bobby Drake sat with his arm around Rogue, with Pyro on the other side of Bobby.

"What's that?" Rogue asked.

"A picture." I showed her, but kept a hold on it. I stared at Pyro, a few younger than he was now, but I recognized that cocky smile on his face.

"I completely forgot that was taken." She reached for it, and I finally passed it to her. "It seems like forever ago."

"You and Pyro were friends?" I already knew the answer to this, but I didn't want her to know that, just in case she figured me out.

She smirked. "Not really. Him and Bobby were. Although they didn't really get along all that well. Always trying to one up the other."

I looked at the picture in her hand. "How'd he end up with the Brotherhood?" Maybe she could give me some insight.

She shrugged. "It's a long story, but part of it was that he'd had some bad experiences with normal people before he ever came to the school and Xavier was never able to change his mind about them. Magneto gave him another option."

"What kind of bad experiences?" I didn't want to appear too interested, but I wanted to know more about him.

"I don't know. That's just what Bobby told me, Pyro never talked about his life before coming to the school with me. Bobby knew the most about him besides the Professor."

I frowned as I processed that. Pyro hadn't ever talked about his past with me either, and now I was curious.

"Pyro, huh? Doesn't he have a real name?" I smirked, thinking about how he had refused to tell me his real name. He should have known I'd find it out.

Rogue chuckled. "St. John Allerdyce."

I suppressed the triumphant grin that wanted to creep up. Rogue put the picture in her a on the bedside table before changing the subject and I resisted the impulse to change it back. The last thing I wanted her to know was that I had a thing for my kidnapper.

I went home a few hours later to my empty apartment. I loved being on my own, but sometimes living alone was just lonely. I'd thought about getting a dog, but it didn't seem fair to keep one couped up inside all day while I was at work. So instead of trying to keep myself occupied I went ahead to bed, knowing I'd need my rest for the training with Logan the next day. That man could do some seriously grueling workouts, but I won't complain too much. I was showing improvements. Most days at least.

**A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed that. Now please leave a review. Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm really sorry about the delay; I had some class work that I needed to get caught up on. **

It was the Friday before my classes would start, and I'd already decided it just wasn't my day long before I'd run into Otto. Things weren't going right for me. I'd woke up late, had to skipped breakfeast to make it to work on time, then not even an hour after I opened the library a couple of the kids had got in a fight and let me tell you pulling two teenage boys apart is no easy feat, mutants or not.

I had no idea how the fight had started, but when I heard it I found one kid that had ram horns coming out of his forehead, being slammed onto a table by nothing I could see. My first thought was a telepath, but when I looked around, I didn't see anyone. I tried to help the boy that seemed to be getting the crap beat out of by thin air. However I realized what was going on when my hand hit something solid and warm that I couldn't see.

Whoever had a hold of the kid was invisible. I grabbed onto the invisible person with two hands and yanked them back with all my strength. With a holler, because I'd gotten a fist full of hair, the boy turned back visible, as we stumbled backwards.

The other one picked himself up and charged with his head lowered like he was going to use his horns to ram the guy I had a hold of, which would have gotten me too. I dragged the kid and me out of the way and goat boy hit the book shelves behind us, knocking them and the two behind it over.

He stumbled to his feet, looking like the impact had stunned him. The one I was holding on to tried to pull away and get back at him. I struggled with him. The one with horns was shaking his head and looking a little dazed, like he'd taken the hit pretty hard.

I didn't see Logan's approach and neither did the guys, because when he grabbed the one I had my hands on by the collar, they both looked caught off guard and _scared_. Logan was all growls and flashing claws, enough so that I got out of his way and felt genuinely sorry for the two as he dragged them out the library.

After that time had dragged on and on. Having to put the library back in order took forever even with Rogue and Gambit's help. He was only there because he was still working on getting back into Rogue's good graces. Although Rogue still hadn't told me exactly what had occurred between the two of them, I figured she was trying to keep him away on account of her powers. Gambit seemed to be pretty determined to win her over. I don't know how she managed resisting him; she must have a helluva stubborn streak, because if I was in her position I'd been a goner.

By the time I meet up with Logan, he was in a rotten mood and so practice had been particularly hellish. When it was over all I wanted was to get home. I was trying not to sprint from the training room after our session, because I didn't want Logan to think I was running from him. However, I wanted out of there and was certainly speed walking it. My head was down as I try to find my keys in the over sized purse hooked over my arm, when I slammed right into Otto, who'd been walking out of a door and I'd not noticed.

I fell backwards, landing on my backend with a painful thud. My purse landed next to me, spilled its contents all over the floor with a clatter.

I stared up at Otto, shocked.

"I didn't do it." He frowned at me, like I'd accused him.

"I know." I shook my head at myself, shaking off my surprise from the fall and started to push myself up.

"Well don't look at me like I pushed you down." He muttered grumpily as he helped me up.

"Thanks." I told him as he let go of my arm. "Sorry I ran into you

I glanced down at my stuff scattered across the hall floor. I really needed to clean my purse out and travel lighter. With a weary sigh I bent back down and started picking up my wallet, make-up, tampons, the ton of change that had been collecting at the bottom, and other miscellaneous stuff that just happened to end up in there.

Without a word Otto started helping me, and it just felt so awaked. I wished he'd make some crack about me carrying around an overnight bag instead of a purse like he used to tease me about. The differences from then and now just _hurt_.

"How'd you get this?" He held up Pryo's lighter with one hand, my keys, change, and lipstick in his other.

Panic clenched my stomach, but I tried to keep it off my face. I'd completely forgotten that was still in my purse.

"I got it off Pyro." Not a lie.

"Yea?" He raised the eyebrow that had the faint scar from when he'd hit his face on the edge of a coffee table before I was even born. "How did you do that?" He just sounded curious.

I shrugged, trying to think fast. "I grabbed it when he wasn't looking." Also not a complete lie, but too close. Otto had always been able to call me out when I wasn't telling the truth, even when Mama had believed me.

He studied me, and I nervously held his gaze. My stomach dropped when he narrowed his eyes on me. "Why are you lying?"

_Crap. _How did he do that? "I'm not." I frowned at him, like he was crazy.

"Yes you are." Matter of fact.

"Am not." Very articulate of me.

I stood back up and he did the same, still holding the lighter and my things.

"Why would I lie?" I put a hand on my hip and leaned my weight on one leg.

"You haven't seen him have you?"

"No." Why would he even ask that? He couldn't know. There was no reason for him to suspect anything.

"Are you sure?" He asked, like he knew I was still lying.

"Very."

"Why would you carry this around then?"

He had me there. "Maybe I just like it."

"Bell." Otto heaved a frustrated sigh. "Pyro is dangerous. If you've been seeing him you need to tell me or the Professor or _somebody_. You don't know what Pyro is capable of."

I held up a hand to stop him. "Pyro was the one who pulled me out of my apartment. I know just how dangerous he is, and I don't appreciate you accusing me of lying or acting like I've been going out on dates with him." I glared at him, but felt so damn guilty.

I saw the struggle in his eyes as he tried to figure out if I was telling the truth, but I don't know what conclusion he came up with as he handed me my thing back, even the lighter.

I moved to walk by him, but he grabbed my arm. "You'd tell someone if you had, wouldn't you?" There was concern in his expression.

It was so unexpected I choked up and could only manage a nod, feeling like the biggest liar in the world. Things were so stressed between us that if he found out I was lying I think it would destroy the awkward truce between us.

All the way home I resisted the urge to bang my head into the steering wheel or cry. Why hadn't I told someone about Pyro's late night visit? How could I have been so stupid to have been carrying that lighter around with me? I should have been paying more attention to where I was going and not have run into Otto. Why would Otto show interest in my wealth fare now? I berated myself all the way home.

I was very well aware that Pyro was dangerous, but there was no point in bringing up the matter to anyone. Pyro wasn't coming back, he'd said so himself. If I told anyone now, they'd just get worked up over old news for nothing. It was better to just leave it all be, and it would just go away.

Did I really expect it all to be that easy? As if the day wasn't long enough the very cause of my stress walked right up behind me as I was unlocking my apartment door.

"Boo."

I nearly jumped out of my skin as I jerked around to find Pyro behind me.

He had a grin on his face over scaring me, and was definitely in my personal space.

"You've got to be kidding me." I muttered as I tried to calm by beating heart. The day just kept getting better and better.

"I forgot something." He shrugged.

Despite everything, I can't say I was surprised to see him, or that it was all that unpleasant, but I didn't want him to know that. "Are you telling me you don't have another lighter you can use? You had to come back and harass me over it?"

"That one is my favorite and I'm not harassing you."

"Says you." I poked him in the chest, hoping he'd step back, but he didn't budge. He was standing way too close, we were almost touching. This didn't seem to bother him, but it was effecting me way too much.

Pyro reached around me and opened my door.

"Oh, no." I held my hands up to hold him off. "You're not coming in."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so." I didn't have a really good excuse just at that moment, (well other than his being in the Brotherhood and all that) but my run in with Otto was just too fresh in my head.

"That's not a good enough reason." He pushed me out the way.

"You have no manners what so ever do you?" I asked with my hands on my hips.

He just shrugged. "You going to stand in the door way all night?"

I glared at him for a second then shut the door and flipped the light switch on.

"Here." I dug around in my purse to find that damned Zippo and held it out to him.

"Thanks." He quickly accepted it.

"Is there a special reason that it's your favorite?" I asked causally as I set my purse down on the couch and headed for the small kitchen area toward the right.

"I stole it." He smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes, making me wonder.

"From who?" I said as I pulled out a couple cans of soda from the fridge.

"My brother." He took the drink from me, then jerked his head toward the couch.

I followed. "You've got a brother?"

"Had." He corrected me as we sat down.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did he die?"

Pyro snorted. "No." At my confused look, he explained. "He didn't like the idea of a mutant in the family."

Oh. I glanced away, not having a clue how to respond.

"What changed your mind about mutants?" He asked, staring at me.

I didn't even have to think about it. "The Professor, Dr. McCoy, Rogue and Kurt. They did it."

"Not Shadow?" Pryo raised a brow.

I shook my head. "No. He was with you remember?"

Pyro just shrugged. He seemed sober tonight, like something was bothering him. What did that matter? I asked silently, just to keep myself in check.

"You don't fear mutants at all now?"

Where was he going with this? That kind of question could be leading up to all kinds of things. I shrugged. "It would be a lie if I said I didn't."

That got me a glare.

"Look, I can't throw people across a room with just my mind."

"You couldn't do that anyway." That familiar smirk flashed across his face.

"By the time Logan's done with me I might be able to." I joked.

Both eyebrows shot up. "Wolverine is training you?"

"Yea, so?"

"He doesn't scare you?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm pretty sure I've already told you that most things scare me."

"Do I?"

I hesitated, not wanting to answer him. I wasn't afraid of him, like I should be, but I was terrified of what he stood for with the Brotherhood. Instead I asked him a question. "You still hate normal people?"

"Yep." No hesitation.

"Why are you here then?"

I didn't get an answer, and after a few moments I gave up hope for one.

Silence stretched on and on feeling awakred. However that changed when he started to lean in, his eyes flicking from my mouth to my eyes and back. Panicky, I wondered if I should push him back, make him leave, but then I wanted to lean forward and close the small gap between us so bad it had me not moving at all. I was at a cross roads, knowing what I should do and want I wanted, knowing if this happened things would be changed.

I was so close, so very, _very_ close to forgetting why it would be wrong.

My eyes closed even though I hadn't made up my mind, he hovered just over my lips and I thought if he didn't hurry up and make up his mind I'd be forced to make my choice.

He jerked back so fast it startled me.

"I need to leave."He was up and heading for the door before I knew it.

My mouth fell open as the door closed behind him. I glanced around like an idiot, like there might be someone around that could tell me what had just happen, or more to the point what hadn't happened.

Once again Pyro had left me wondering _what the hell_? My head spun as I felt an odd mix of relief and rejection. Relief over not having kissed the person that was the enemy, but it was quickly being overshadowed by the sting of rejection. I mean he had practically _run_ from me instead of kissing me. That's not too great for the ego.

For a split second I thought about chasing after him and asking him just what the heck he thought he was doing anyway? Was he playing with me? Then again did I really want to know? Maybe if he'd been just some boy I would have chased after him, but he wasn't. What was I thinking?

Pyro was a part of the Brotherhood, I reminded myself. He hated people like me. What would the Professor or Logan do if they found out? For that matter what about Otto?

I chewed on my lower lip, finally realizing that I could be in way over my head and not even have realized it.

What was wrong with me anyway? Had I so quickly forgotten that Pyro had broken into my home and abducted me? He'd dragged me off to Magneto just to get to my brother. I sank lower in the couch as I made myself remember exactly what he was. Even still I kept arguing with myself that even when he'd kidnapped me, he hadn't actually hurt me and he had been the one to let me go.

_Still shouldn't kiss him, stupid._

I shook my head. He won't be back, I told myself. Pyro got what he'd come for and there's no reason for him to come back. Nothing happen, he'd had the good sense to stop before it had, I can just put this out of my mind.

With that thought I determinedly went and showered before getting into bed, where I spent the rest of the night analyzing the whole thing over again. By morning, I was tired and cranky, but had come up with the same conclusion: Pyro was gone and to just forget about it.

As so many things are, that was easier said than done.

**A/N: As always I hoped you liked it. Please leave me a review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I'm really sorry about the wait ya'll. Life (most my classes) keeps getting in the way, but don't fear, I'm not abandoning this story. Ever. **

Easier said than done was the gospel truth. It didn't matter what I did, Pyro was at the back of my mind day and night, creeping into my thoughts if I didn't stay focused. It was because of this I had begun to avoid the Professor, and that made me feel guilty. Not that I wasn't already feeling that way thanks to my run in with Otto and flat out lying to him.

It was stressful feeling guilty all the time and had me questioning myself a lot.

I mean, here I was enjoying the help of the Professor and the others while I am secretly _wanting_ Pyro to come back. Not that it was often that I'd admit that to even myself.

I consoled myself that once I could get my act together things would get better, I was positive Pyro wouldn't be back. Why would he? If I stretched the facts enough, then I could admit that he was attracted to me. But you don't make risks like that for someone you're _just _attracted to. And it would be a pretty big risk too. If Magneto didn't know he was hanging out with a non-mutant, I bet things wouldn't go great for Pyro if old bucket head found out.

Then again, it could have been that Pyro was just curious to see how far I'd go, testing me. Sure I might talk all pro-mutant, but what would I do if one tried to kiss me? He probably thought I'd back start back stepping and when I hadn't moved away from him he stopped; not wanting actually kiss a _Homo sapien_. I was betting this was most likely the case.

Thinking about this made me huff as I forcefully shoved books back on their shelf. Stupid boy, the only thing stopping me was the damned Brotherhood.

Pyro had been just trying to push and find my limit.

Never before had I thought I would be discriminated against for _not_ being a mutant, but both Pyro and Otto were happy to. It was very, very frustrating, since it wasn't something I could help. And yes, I did see the irony in this, which was like adding insult to injury.

XXXXX

Starting my new school was a little nerve racking, but as it turned out there wasn't anything to worry about. I had scheduled my classes around my work and training with Logan, and was taking late afternoon and night classes. I was only going part time, but I figured that was for the best anyway. It's not like studying was something I liked. However, I was determined to see this through and do the best I could.

It had been a slow day in the library, the week after I'd started my classes, and I was all caught up on work and trying to stay caught up on my class work. Sitting behind the counter in the library, my head was bowed as I read from one of my texts books. The only other person in the library was Jimmy, who was quiet and in the back out of sight. This wasn't unusual for him since he didn't have a lot of friends thanks to his powers and he spent a lot of time in here.

Time slipped by and before I knew it, it was time for me to close up. Jimmy brought up a book, to be checked out. I made small talk with him, going out of my way to be nice to the kid.

Something caught my eye and I glanced up, realizing it was Otto coming around a corner, with a book in hand. I hadn't known he was in the library, but that didn't surprise me since he tended to 'pop' in places.

I went back to what I was doing and didn't look at him again until I had given Jimmy the check out receipt. The look on Otto's face caught me off guard and worried me. My brother had stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes were glued on Jimmy.

His expression was unguarded but I couldn't quite understand it. He was tense and his brows were drawn down as he watched Jimmy leave out the door. It was after the door closed behind the kid that Otto finally faced me again did I recognize the expression for what it was. Guilt. And I'd say a lot of it.

Otto schooled his features back to neutral when he saw me looking. I stared, taken by surprise by what I thought I'd just seen on his face.

"Are you okay?" I asked as he handed me his book.

"Fine." He bit out.

"You didn't look fine."

"Mind your own business Bell."

"Why were you looking at Jimmy like that?" I don't know why I was pushing.

Otto's eyes went cold and the look he gave me definitely said 'back off.' "What? Don't trust me around him?"

"What?" I squinted up at him. _Trust him around Jimmy? What does that have to do with anything?_

He looked angry. "Nothing." He snapped, before he turned for the door.

I was confused. "Wait a second." I started to come around the counter, following him. Otto didn't break stride as he vanished into thin air before ever reaching the door.

"That's cheating!" I stomped my foot like a frustrated child.

Was he mad at me? It didn't take much these days to get him angry but I didn't think I'd reached that point just then. And where had not trusting him around Jimmy come from?

After a moment of just staring at the place Otto had disappeared, like he might pop back in, I went back behind the counter to start shutting the library down so I could get to class. As I shut off the computer I noticed Otto hadn't taken the book he'd intended to check out. Instead of leaving it there for him to find or putting it up I shoved it in my book bag with my texts books, intending to use it as an excuse to hunt him down later.

The next day was Saturday, and I got to the school extra early to look around for Otto, but no luck. By lunch time I still hadn't seen him, not really a surprise since I'm kind of stuck in the library for the day, so when I meet up with Rogue for lunch I brought it up.

"You wouldn't happen to have any idea where Otto is, do you?" I asked before taking a big bit of the take out Chinese chicken I was having.

Rogue swallowed before answering. "How should I know?"

I shrugged. "I can't find him and was hoping you'd have an idea."

She shook her head. "Sorry. Why are you looking for him?"

"He left the book he was checking out." I wasn't sure if I should describe the whole encounter to her.

"He couldn't wait two seconds for you to hand it back to him?" Rogue raised an eyebrow.

"What? No. I don't know. We were talking. I think he just forgot it."

"Oh, well you two talking is good." She flashed me a quick, encouraging smile.

I made a face and kind of shook my head. "I think I made him mad."

"Oh." She took a sip of her drink. "How?"

I shrugged, and then told her what had happened.

"Not many on the team trust him." She said and I assumed she was talking about the team of X-Men. "Bobby's made it clear that Otto's not welcomed; Kitty has made it pretty clear too."

"What? Why?" The other X-Men don't like Otto?

"Because Otto was in the Brotherhood and we all pretty much know that Jimmy was on the Brotherhood's hit list."

"They think Otto would actually hurt Jimmy? A kid?" I wasn't believing this. Yea, sure my brother had done some things, but he wouldn't do _that._

Rogue shrugged. "We don't really know what he would or wouldn't do. It's not like he socializes with any of us."

"_You_ think he could?" It was crazy that after everything I felt the need to defend and protect Otto anyway I could, even against my most trusted friend if necessary.

She shrugged. "I trust the Professor and if he says Otto isn't a threat then that's good enough for me. And I don't think someone like you would walk away from her whole life for a monster."

I sat back, satisfied with her answer. "I wouldn't ." I mumbled as I stared at my food, no longer hungry.

"But that's probably what it was yesterday. I doubt it was you that was the actual problem."

I nodded. I hadn't realized Otto wasn't being welcomed like I had been. "So Bobby and Kitty are giving him a hard time then?"

"Kitty is protective of Jimmy. She helped him escape from Alcatraz. Bobby hates the Brotherhood because of Pyro."

And we were back to _him._ I glared at my food; Pyro was proving to be nearly impossible to forget about. "What kind of stuff are they doing to him?"

Rogue shook her head. "It's mostly their attitudes and how they go out of their way to be rough during training."

"Next time I see them I'm going to punch them in the face." I said, knowing I'd never would, but saying it made me feel better.

"Would you mind calling me first? I kind of want to watch." She smirked at me.

What she'd told me left me with a lot to think about. It made me wonder why Otto was staying at the school. It also made me even guiltier about not trying harder to reach out to him. Made him feel more welcomed by me than I had. Then again, it's hard to when that person all but ignores you.

I had training with Logan after work, and though I couldn't say for sure, I think he had begun to warm up to me.

"Not bad kid." He said when I'd knocked him to the matt.

I bounced on my feet, feeling triumphant over my little victory. He got up and had me face down in less than a second. Talk about a buzz kill.

"Don't get cocky." Logan told me then let go of me. As I started to pick up my sore body from the floor, rubbing my cheek where it had been smashed into the matt, he stood up. "That's enough for today."

_Good,_ I thought. My ego needed to rest a little from being reminded that it didn't matter how good I got, he was still better.

I walked over to my purse and slung it over one shoulder, ready to go change. "Hey Mr. Logan?"

He glanced over at me.

"You wouldn't know where I could find Otto would you?"

"No." He picked up his water bottle from the floor where he'd left it

"Oh." I said defeated. I'd been looking all day with no luck.

"Why?"

"Oh." Logan had surprised me with the question. "I just wanted to talk to him and haven't been able to find him today."

"Come on." He jerked his head toward the door and started walking.

Confused, I rushed after him, still sweaty in my workout clothes. I wasn't sure where we were going and when he stopped sniffed, turned down a hall, or retraced steps, I decided he didn't know either. Was he tracking? Like a hound dog or something? I had remembered that Rogue had mentioned he had a great sense of smell, but how good was it? Maybe I should brush my teeth and get super extra strength deodorant when I train with him next time, just to be safe.

I followed him around for about twenty minutes and we ended up outside on a balcony. "He's on the roof."

Oh. We'd been looking for Otto this whole time? That was a much unexpected kindness from Logan and I grinned up at him. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He started to leave.

I had another problem now. "How do I get up there?"

If Logan was the eye rolling kind I think he would have done it just then. Squatting down he laced his fingers together and told me to step into his hand. He pushed me up with more ease then I had excepted and I grabbed the edge of the roof. With his help I began to scramble up with no grace, getting plenty of scrapes.

"Pull yourself up." He growled at me from below.

"I'm trying." I gasped, amazed at how much upper body strength that was need for this and how much I was lacking it.

Two strong hands grabbed my upper arms and startled me so bad I almost let go of the roof. Otto was on his knees, pulling me up. With his help I got my own knees under me and could move away from the edge.

"What are you doing?" Otto glared at me.

I ignored him. "Thanks." I said peeking down at Logan and then decided not to look over the edge again because I saw how from the ground below we were.

In answer my purse landed with a thud next to me from Logan tossing it up. Good thing I didn't have anything breakable in it.

"What are you doing?" Otto repeated himself as I moved further away from the edge.

"I brought the book you left yesterday." I said like it was the most natural thing in the world for me to claw my way onto a roof just to deliver a library book. Mutant I may not be, but dedicated librarian I am.

"You're kidding." Otto sat a couple feet away from me.

"Why are you up here anyway?" I unzipped my purse and pulled out his book.

"It's quiet." He answered. I passed the book to him. "Thanks."

"Welcome." Silence stretch out for minutes as I gathered up my nerve, while rubbing the sting out from the scrapes I'd gotten while getting on up there.

"If I talk to you about yesterday, could you not disappear on me?" I said finally.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Well, I think there's a lot to talk about." I was referring to more than just the day before.

He didn't say anything.

"I talk to Rogue about what happen. She told me some stuff I didn't know."

"That's not very surprising. There's a lot you don't know." I know he was trying to be sarcastic, but it came out tired sounding.

"Yea." I agreed, ignoring the jib. "I wanted to let you know I don't have a trust problem with you. I don't think you'd hurt Jimmy or anyone else here. I don't think you're a bad person because of your past with the Brotherhood, or because you did bad things." That was harder to say than it should have been. I loved him to death, and it was all true, but things had changed so much. "That's it. That's all I wanted to say." Liar. There was a lot else I wasn't telling him, but for now that would have to be enough.

Otto didn't say anything, just stared out of the estate; arms resting on bent knees. Stars were staring to come out in the night sky and I realized he right about it being quiet up here. Kind of peaceful.

I crossed my legs and waited for him to say something, looking up at the cloudless sky, with the bright full moon, as it looked unusually large.

I barely heard him when he said, "Thank you."

**A/N: Let me know what you think. Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you so much for the great reviews!**

I'd expected to have been meet with some kind of rejection or just simple silence, notgratitude. I glanced at him, trying to hide my surprise behind a concerned frown.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

He cast me a sideways glance.

"That didn't come out like I meant it. It just doesn't make sense for you to stay when you don't seem to like it."

"I need help controlling my powers." He turned his gaze back to the view in front of him.

"I thought you had control over your powers." I'd never grasped the whole idea of how to control your powers. It was something I hadn't had experience with.

"I do." He snapped automatically, and then frowned. "I mean for the most part I do. Sometimes it doesn't work the way it should."

"What do you mean?" I tilted my head to the side as I looked at him.

He shrugged. "Sometimes it takes a couple of tries before I can bring someone else with me and other times I'll take people I'm not even touching." He shook his head. "One time I took three people and a car with me without touching them."

I was stunned. I don't know how you would gage a mutant's power, but I could compare Otto and Kurt's because they had similar gifts. I knew that Kurt could only pop into places he could see and he had to be touching someone or something to take them with him. At least that's what he had told me, and here Otto was telling me that he could take things with him without touching them.

"So, how far can you go?" I asked.

"Uh," He rubbed the back of his neck, looking comfortable with the topic. "I've made it coast to coast a couple of times. Pacific to Atlantic. I have to have been there before to be able to teleport there."

I blinked. My small town brother was _that_ gifted? No wonder old bucket head had recruited him.

"Jeez Otto. That's kind of powerful."

He didn't say anything, just gave a shrug, and I got the impression he wasn't overly proud of his abilities.

"How'd you find out about your powers?" I figured since he was actually talking I might as well go until he stopped.

Otto didn't answer right away. "Do you remember that party you went to when Mama had told you not to?"

"Which one?" I asked flatly, because I'd done that quite a few times.

"The one where you hit Jackson?" He reminded me.

"Oh, yea, _that _one." It was a memorable night that I couldn't remember much of. I'd been fourteen, and snuck out of the house to go to a party my parents had told me I was too young for. Otto had been allowed to go because he was older (by not even a full two years, might I add). I'd managed to avoid running into him and had gotten good and drunk by not knowing when to turn down drinks that had been passed my way; I'd never drank before so it hadn't taken much to do me in. I'd crossed paths with Jackson, an ex-boyfriend I'd broken up with days before. Jackson had been drunk himself, and had insulted me with dirty names and other things and I had slapped him. He threw a punch at me but I'd ducked. Jackson went to try again but Otto had him by the collar. By the time Otto was done Jackson had more than a busted lip. Otto had half dragged, half carried me out to his old pick up, mad as hell. I'd cried the whole way home, telling him how sorry I was for not listening, for drinking, for getting him in a fight.

"I saw him take a swing at you through the sliding glass door, next thing I know I've got my hands on him." He'd never gotten in to a fight before that. He'd always been so easy to get along with, so level headed, there had never been a reason for him to fight. Another one of our differences.

"That had been an awful night." I muttered, remembering it.

"Yea. After that I wasn't sure it had happen, like maybe I'd been so pissed off to see him trying to hit you that I just didn't remember going inside. Then it happened again. I went from under the hood of that old fastback, to standing on the corner of Canal and Bourbon. It took me hours to calm down and figure out how to get back home."

"That must have been scary." I could only imagine how bewildering it must have been to have unexpectedly ended up in a totally different state in the blink of an eye.

He didn't say anything, and I sat wondering how I'd never known about his being a mutant. It seemed too big of a secret to be able to keep, and it had obviously taken its toll on him.

"What happen at home after I left?"

I sat up straighter at the unexpected question. I tried to think of a nice way to say: we just pretended like you didn't exist; but really there isn't a nice way to put that. "Um, well, nothing really."

He frowned. "No one asked about me or anything?"

"They did, but we told them you decided to leave early to go to New Orleans before you started classes at LSU in the fall."

"People believed that?" Otto gave me a disbelieving look, because to just up and leave would have been so out of character for him back then.

I shrugged lamely. "Some, not many, but we didn't tell anyone any differently and they finally stopped asking. Well Lance didn't, not until he left for LSU." Lance had been Otto's best friend since they were kids; he'd cornered me almost weekly demanding to know something. Lance hadn't believed Otto would go ahead to New Orleans without him; they'd had everything planned out.

"What about Mom and Dad? What did they do?'

I tried to be vague. "They just, you know, moved on."

"Moved on? I didn't die." He shot me a look. "Seriously, what happen?"

What was he looking for? Why was he pushing? I shrugged again. "Doesn't matter."

"Yea, it does. Why won't you just tell me?"

"Because it's not important." I muttered, staring straight ahead.

"Tell me." He demanded.

I gave in. I never was very good at holding out it seems. "We packed your stuff up, took down pictures of you, boxed up all your sports trophies and school awards and put them out of sight. Like I said, moved on." There was just something so fundamentally _wrong_ about erasing someone that you raised and loved from your life over something they had no control over.

He was quiet for a few moments as that sunk in.

"We?"

"Yes, _we_." No use denying my involvement.

More silence.

"You helped them do that?" Otto sounded angry and…betrayed?

Shamefaced I nodded. As I saw him clench his jaw, I felt the need to defend myself. "I didn't…maybe it wasn't the right thing-"

"Maybe?" He cut me off. "It was just the easiest way, right? Is that what you're about to tell me?"

Kind of. I avoid his gaze.

"I was right. That's what you did. Isn't it?" He was glaring at me.

"Not exactly." I hedged. "I ignored the whole situation. Acted like it hadn't happened."

He gave a disgusted snort. "That sounds like you. I still don't get why the hell you are even here."

"Because it stopped being easy." I hadn't been able to not worry about my brother. "But leaving home and coming to a place full of people I was terrified of wasn't either." I said to remind him that I'd done that _for _him.

There was a pause before he said. "Yea, I guess not."With that the tension left him.

Neither one of us said anything for several minutes, until he asked, "Do you miss it?"

"Yeah." And I did, even as imperfect as it was, it was still home.

"Then why don't you go back?" He sounded a little bitter when he said it, but thankfully not angry.

"I don't want to, and I couldn't even if I did." Yes, it was home, but I'd changed too much to be happy there. Besides it wasn't like I'd be welcomed there.

"You keep saying that you can't. Why?"

I shrugged. "I called home once and got the message loud and clear." There really was no need to go into it. "Besides, I like living here. I like my friends and living on my own."

"Yea, your friends have definitely improved."

I narrowed my eyes on him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what it means." He did raised an eyebrow at me. "Rogue isn't getting you in trouble like Ally did. Kurt isn't hanging around for a chance to sleep with you like Mark did."

I rolled my eyes. Ally and Mark were friends from Georgia, and if Otto thought they were trouble what would he think of Pyro? "So you approve of my friends then?"

He shrugged. "I think you're making better choices then you did before."

"Maybe you should try making friends." I suggested. "Gambit is great. You could talk to Rogue. Pete is super nice. Warren, the guy with wings, he's shy but he seems nice too."

"It sounds like your trying to set me up on a date Bell."

I paused and then laughed out right at the thought of Gambit on a date with my brother. What a shame it would be for our side if the Cajun swung the other way, and I'm sure some of the girls at the school would feel the same if my brother did.

Otto didn't laugh but he gave me an amused look.

"Okay, never mind then." I said once I stopped. "But you shouldn't keep to just yourself. It isn't going to help the others trust you. Come hang out with me and Rogue or Kurt for lunch or something."

"I don't know." The way he said it let me know he wasn't even considering it, but like hell was I going to back off now; not when he was talking to me.

"Well then just me. Please." I waited.

"Bell…" He sighed heavily and shook his head. "I'm not the person you knew before."

"Oh, believe me I know that." I said in all seriousness. "The person I _thought_ I knew wasn't a mutant, and he would have told me if he was, he wouldn't have just run away and leaving me to wonder what happen to him." I was aiming for making him look a little guilty; I was tired of being pushed away.

By the look on his face I knew I succeeded.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, in renewed frustration, but kept it out of my tone. I just couldn't bring myself to believe it was because he'd thought I'd rat him out. We'd been too close before.

"I just…I just don't…" He shook his head.

"Just what?" I asked pushed.

It seemed like he struggled for words. "Ever since we were kids you'd come to me to fix things for you or to protect you." He ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't lying, I'd always gone to him if I'd gotten scared or something went wrong, he'd been my hero growing up. "And I loved it. I didn't want you thinking you needed to be protected from _me_." He shook his head again. "I could handle Mom and Dad thinking I was a monster but not you."

I tears welled up. "I would have never thought that of you." I sniffled. "You really didn't think very much of me if you thought I'd turn on you like that, did you?"

"Just the opposite Bell, I thought the world of you. Still do."

I was again surprised by him."Doesn't seem that way." I muttered as I wiped under my eyes.

"I'm sorry." He said it sincerely.

"I don't see you as a monster or a freak or anything else. You're just my brother. So can we get past this?" That's all I wanted.

Otto looked so guilty. "If that was the only problem then yea, but you don't know the things I've done. I've made so many wrong decisions."

I shook my head. "I-"

"I've hurt people for the Brotherhood. Done things I can't take back."

I hate the Brotherhood. Hate them. In my mind all the blame falls squarely on them. "Otto I came all this way looking for you; absolutely certain you'd have done the same for me. I think I've earned the chance to at least get to know you again."

"I don't think you're getting what I'm saying." He ran both hands through his hair in a frustrated manner.

"I am. I promise. Maybe I'm not as experience in the world as you, but I know a monster when I see one." Thank you Magneto.

"I think that's my fault." He muttered, but didn't look at me.

"You don't get full credit. I came looking for you remember?"

"I thought it was some sick joke when they told me my sister was at Xavier's."

"Nope." My tears were slowing. "That ended up being a bad day." I said meaning our meeting in New York City.

"I didn't know Juggernaut was there. I shouldn't have let Pyro come, but he'd insisted."

I bet he did.

"Were you and him friends?" I asked.

"Yeah, but he took my leaving the Brotherhood personally, so not anymore."

I decided not to ask anymore about Pyro. "So do I get that chance?" I asked.

"Are you sure you want to take it?"

I nodded.

He hesitated. "Let's do this one day at a time, okay?"

"Okay. Lunch tomorrow?"

"Okay." He really didn't look thrilled.

"Good. Twelve o'clock."

A ghost of a smile curved the corners of his mouth up, softening his features a touch, but it looked more sad than anything else.

Our talking didn't make things perfect again, but it gave me hope; which was something I hadn't had before where he'd been concerned.

He flashed me down from the roof to my car after a few more minutes. I thought about hugging him, but didn't want to push things anymore than I had. Instead, I made him promise he'd meet me for lunch the next day.

**A/N: I hope you liked it. Leave me a review and have a wonderful day!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: So I stayed home today because I was sick :(****, but I did get another chapter finished :).**** So here you go; hope you like it.**

Since it was a Sunday, the library opened later so I was at my apartment, about to head out to the school to meet up with Otto when I heard knocking on my door. Thoughts of the last person to pay me a visit flashed through my head, which would be Pyro, as I went to check to see who it could be.

I was surprised to find Otto on the other side, and shoved back the slight disappointment that it wasn't Pyro even though I had known it wouldn't be him.

After quickly unlocking the door I opened it up.

"Hey." I smiled. "You didn't have to come all the way over; I would have met you at the school." I hadn't figured he would want to go anywhere else.

He gave a shrug. "It's no big deal. I needed to get out."

"Okay. Come on in. I just need to grab my purse and find my keys." I turned and left the door open for him as I tried to remember where I'd left my keys the night before. I couldn't ever keep up with them.

Otto stepped in only enough to shut the door behind him, and looked around my apartment. I wondered as I checked the kitchen counters, then the coffee table what he thought of my place. It was small, only one bedroom and bathroom, the kitchen and living room were connected, the furniture was second hand, and not much decorations, but I loved it.

"How'd you know where my place was?" I asked.

"I asked Rogue and she told me." He said as he continued to taken in my apartment.

"Oh. I can't find my keys." I muttered as I checked under couch cushions. "Wait, wait…I think I remember." I rushed to the bathroom where I found them lying by the bathroom sink where I'd left them the night before.

"Got them." I said as I walked back out. "So where do you want to go?"

"Where ever you want to is fine. I don't care." He replied.

"Well don't get too excited." I said flatly as I grabbed my purse.

"I don't know what's good around here."

"Well, um, let me think…there's a pizza place a couple of blocks over. Then across the street from that is a sandwich shop or the little bar and grill restaurant the other way. It's called _King's_. You'd probably like it."

"Yea, that sounds fine. Ready?" He waited for my nod before pulling the door open for me.

We walked mostly in silence to _King's _where we sat at a booth in the back.

"So…" I said as I glanced over the menu. "I'd pretty much kill for a glass of sweet tea."

Unbelievably that got a slight grin out of him. "I know what you mean."

"I've tried adding sugar to the tea after the give it to me, but it's just not the same. The sugar doesn't melt; it just settles at the bottom and makes it taste kind of weird. I tried buying some to make at home, but couldn't master the art of it." I rambled.

I continued to babble away through the meal, keeping the mood light, working to make him feel comfortable, and reassure him I didn't think bad of him. He'd nod along, make a few comments here and there, answer a question if I asked one, but I did most of the talking.

When the check came back, he went to grab it.

"No." I snatched it up, not even letting him look at it. "No, no. My treat."

"I don't mind." He held his hand out for it.

"Nope. I asked you to come along, and I'll pay." I said digging through my purse.

"Yea, but you'd planned on just having lunch at the school, so I'll get this." He argued; hand still out stretched.

"No." I said, pulling out my money. "I've got it this time. You can buy next time." The waiter came by and took it.

Otto sat back with a raised eyebrow, studying me.

"What?" I asked, before taking a sip of my drink.

"Nothing." He shrugged. "It's just a change for you to insist on paying when before you'd have excepted me to pick up the check." That was definitely not a lie.

"Yea, well, maybe I'm just hoping you'll agree to do this again?" I smiled, hoping to win him over.

Otto nodded. "Yea, sure."

My smile turned in to a grin and it got me a real smile back from him. Which made me realize I hadn't seen one of those on him in years, and it made him look boyish and like the brother I'd known.

That is, until it faded and a look of pure aggression replaced it. At first I thought it was directed at me and I got nerves. Until I realized Otto was staring at something over my shoulder. He was so still and tense I was almost afraid to look behind me. I braved it anyway and glanced back to find that Pyro had just walked it.

My stomach dropped along with my jaw.

Pyro was staring back at Otto with just as much hostility as Otto was looking at him with. Except there was blatant arrogance mixed in that Otto's glare was lacking.

I twisted back around to Otto. "Let's just go." I whispered, starting to panic. The last thing I wanted to see was them get in a fight or for Otto to find out that I'd lied to him about having seen Pyro.

Otto glanced back at me, and I think he was thinking about confronting Pyro but he seemed to think better of it and gave me a quick nod. "C'mon."

We both stood and while no one else seemed to notice the tension, I felt like the time had slowed to a creep. With a hand on my elbow my brother lead me toward the exit. I guess just disappearing in public with some many witnesses wasn't a good idea, but since Pyro was between us and the exit, I thought it was a much more preferable way to leave.

I decided Pyro really was just too cocky for his own good when he threw me a wink for my brother to see.

Otto tensed."Don't even fucking look at her." Otto snarled.

Pyro smirked that all too familiar smirk, and I felt sick. Here Otto was in big brother mode trying to shield me from the evil terrorist who'd kidnapped me, and all I wanted was to ask the stupid terrorist was why had he ran out the other night instead of kissing me. How twisted was this?

Terrified, I waited for Pyro's response. Excepting something like: _she's let me do more than look at her._ However, he didn't out us. "Or what?"

Otto took a step toward Pyro.

" Please, let's just go."" I grabbed his arm and shot Pyro a look that said if he had any sense to stop. He just kept that smirk in place as he flipped the lid of his lighter open and closed repeatedly, and I knew he was just spoiling for a fight.

Otto backed off after a moment, and Pyro chuckled. My brother's fist clenched and I pulled at his arm again. "Let's. Go." I repeated myself firmly. People were starting to stare and I just wanted to get out of this nightmarish situation.

Finally Otto turned and started for the exit, keeping a hand on me. I glanced back at Pyro just before the door closed behind us. His eyes were on me, and when he saw me looking back, he threw me another wink.

The arrogant bastard!

Back out on the street Otto was rushing me along. "We need to get you back to the school and let Xavier know the Brotherhood's in town."

I nodded, feeling scared and annoyed, as well as a little relieved and very, very guilty. I was afraid of someone finding out Pyro's couple of late night visits and taking them the wrong way, thinking that I'd help a terrorist group like the Brotherhood. I wanted to kill Pyro for that incident, for interrupted one of the first times that Otto and I had spent time together. Although I was relieved that he'd not told Otto about having visited me Especially since I'd lied about it to Otto. That would destroy things between us, and I could just imagine how Otto would react if I'd told about my little crush on Pyro.

Otto jerked me into an empty ally with him, and then glanced around.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Hold on." He grabbed my shoulders and the next thing I know we were standing in an empty hall at the school.

This whole teleporting thing wasn't something I had the hang of, I decided as I glanced around a little disorientated.

"Look," Otto caught my attention as he let his hands drop. "You don't have anything to worry about, okay? I won't let anything happen to you this time."

Oh, wow. Talk about guilt. Here was my brother telling me he'd protect me from the same guy that I'd almost let kiss me.

Oh, God. If he ever found out…

"You okay?" He raised an eyebrow.

I bobbed my head up and down. Then made some excuse that I needed to get to the library and didn't give him time to respond before I left. I went to the library, and kept busy.

Otto came by later as I was closing up to let me know that he'd spoken with the Professor.

"He thought it would be a good idea if you stayed here tonight."

"I'm not going to let the Brotherhood run my life." What I really meant was, I didn't think there was anything to worry about from Pyro.

"_I _think it would be a good idea for you to stay here." He pushed.

"No. I will not be run off from my own home." I argued.

"And what if you get abducted again or just killed for the hell of it?" He raised a good point. He continued to argue with me over it, but I refused to budge. I wasn't even sure I was right about my decision, I just knew I couldn't risk spending more time at the school than necessary and have the Professor pick up on my thoughts.

"Look. If anything even seems suspicious, I'll call, okay?"

Otto didn't look happy about this. "Fine. But call _me_, that way I can come get you out of there."

"Do you even have a phone?" I raised an eyebrow.

He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and waved it at me in a manner that was pure sarcasm. I went ahead and added his number on my phone. Then I talked him into flashing me back to my apartment since I didn't have my car with me.

"I still don't like this." He said, once we were standing in my living room.

"It's fine Otto." I tried to be reassuring, but I began to wonder if I was making the right choice.

The look he gave me let me know he thought I was being an idiot, but he finally gave in and left. If I wasn't feeling so guilty I'd be ecstatic over his interest and concern and not biting my head off every time we spoke. However, being guilty made it hard to enjoy.

I spent the evening doing homework and flipping through the channels on T.V. Most of time was spent wondering why Pyro had shown up today. It had been completely pointless.

When I heard a knock at my door, I wasn't surprised even though I hadn't really been expecting it. Using the peep hole I found Pyro on the other side, just like I figured I would. I had no idea what he was doing here this time, but I was about to give him hell.

I jerked the door open to find he was already smirking.

"What was all that about today?" I snapped.

"Hello to you to." His smirk was gone and he pushed past me.

I closed my door a little too hard, but didn't care. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" He snapped back.

"Oh, you know what. Show up just to antagonize Otto. I haven't spent more than a few minutes with my brother since he left that didn't result in us arguing or ignoring each other until today and then you come in and ruin it." I was nearly shouting I was so angry.

"Ruin it? I didn't do anything except walk in there. How was I supposed to know you and him where there?" His replied, voice raised.

"I'm supposed to believe that you didn't know? That it was just a coincidence? Get real, I'm not that dumb."

"Ha. Yea, right you aren't."

Oh. No. He did not just call me dumb. My anger boiled over to being pissed off. I opened my mouth, but he cut me off.

"Why is it so hard for you to believe I didn't know you were in there?"

"Because _John_ you're a part of the Brotherhood!" I said his name just to irritate him. If I would have stepped back and calmed down long enough to remember that yelling at a very power member of the Brotherhood was a bad idea, I might have not used his name.

Hearing me call him John like that seriously made him mad. "So was your brother." He reminded me.

"Not anymore."

"Only because he was a spineless little bitch who couldn't go through with his order."

"No! Because he realized that Magneto and the rest of you are wrong." I augured back.

"Bullshit. He was all too happy to kill homo sapiens like you before. He only stopped because he didn't want to knock off one of ours."

I shook my head. "I don't believe you." _Couldn't _believe it.

Pyro laughed at me.

"You are such a bastard." I seethed. "And a hypocrite."

He narrowed his eyes on me, but I didn't give him a chance to respond.

"Or a liar." I pointed a finger at him. "You're a part of the Brotherhood. You say you hate normal people, but look at where you are. You let me go. You've kissed me. You've come to see me three times; almost kissed again. So you're either using me to get to Otto or you're just a hypocrite who does like normal people."

"Maybe I _am_ using you." He looked smug. "It's not like it's all that hard to; all it took was to kiss you once to get you to let a mutant _terrorist_ in your home. Guess that just is a statement of my skills- one kiss and you were hooked."

"Your skills!?! That's is just too funny considering you barely touched me and it was so fast I didn't know what was going on. And the before the second one even happened you ran away. So if that's what you consider talent then buddy someone's been lying to you or you haven't had much experience. And just between you and me" I gestured at us. "I'm betting it's the latter of the two, or a mix."

A muscle in his jaw jumped, like I'd hit a nerve and I probably had. "You think so, huh?"

"Yep." I said.

He smirked right before he grabbed me.

I tensed ready for a fight, but he started kissing me.

I was so shocked I stayed frozen, wondering if this was for real.

"Want me to stop?" He asked against my lips.

I shook my head no, and he resumed and I finally responded to him. He totally had me eating my words as he proved me wrong about his _skills._

**A/N: Telling me what you think will brighten my day, so don't forget to leave a review.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you all for the awesome reviews! I hope you enjoy this next one. **

I really should have been more worried about _why_ Pyro was kissing me. Because he really did like me? Or because he was using me?

Or maybe I should have just remembered _why_ it would be a bad idea to kiss him in the first place or even be around him. But, yea…about that…

He was warm and his hands were everywhere. There was none of that hesitance or awkwardness like the other boys I'd been kissed by; Pyro was as cocksure of himself in this as he was with everything else.

My back hit the wall and I barely noticed it as things turned almost frantic. Maybe he was more experienced than I'd given him credit for? Or maybe he was just a natural? Maybe both? Either way, I was certain I hadn't experienced anything like this before. I liked the not so gentlemanly approach he had.

"John." I panted as I tried to think. "John." I repeated, not realizing I was using his real name. I was going to tell him to slow down. This was too fast.

He made some kind of response against my neck, it sounded kind of like _what?_ But then we were kissing again and I forgot what I was going to say.

Too fast. Oh boy, we needed to calm down.

"Slow down." I needed to at least catch my breath. "Please."

He gave me another long kiss before he stopped, hands resting on my waist, face inches from mine. Still so close I couldn't think. We were both breathing hard.

Oh, hell…I didn't know where to put my hands. I'd never been so flustered or out of my element with a guy before. After moving them several times, I finally settled my hands back on his shoulders, where they'd been originally.

"I, um…" Crap. What do I say?

"Yea." He looked a little bewildered as he tried to catch his breath, like he'd gotten caught up too. "Was counting on you pushing me off."

"Oh." Whoops.

"Yea." He said again then took a couple of steps back, giving me space.

I raked a hand through my hair, as I took a shaky breath.

He let out a curse as he yanked a vibrating cell phone out of his pocket. "I need to leave." He said, abruptly after looking at the caller ID.

I blinked. "O-okay." That was probably a good idea anyway. I needed to think, and with him being here that wasn't going to happen.

He started for the door, but stopped and turned around. "Can I come back?"

His asking for permission surprised me.

"Because I'm going to."

Well, so much for asking.

I did this awkward nod, shrug thing. "Sure."

Pyro nodded and was about to turn around again.

"Wait, hold on. You've, um…" I gestured at my mouth. "Lip-gloss…no, the other side." Yea, didn't want him walking out of here with that on.

He used his thumb to wipe it off. "Thanks."

"Yea, sure." I felt awkward, but in a good way if that made sense. Not much was making sense to me at the moment.

Then suddenly he grinned smugly, like he knew the effect he was having on me.

Like a moron I blushed, as I wondered where my 'game' had gone.

After the door closed behind him and I locked it. A stupid grin erupted on my face. I hadn't ever felt so giddy or happy from a kiss. It was like getting my first one all over again, except this was _way _better. For the rest of the night I was on cloud nine. None of the things I should have been stressing about bothered me.

It wasn't until the next morning when I was in the library putting out the newspapers, and saw the news that my good mood died.

There had been another attack made at a federal prison that housed mutants by the Brotherhood. Obviously the goal had been to release the prisoners from the prison, which they succeed in. What a great thought. Not only were a bunch of criminals loosened on society, but they had special powers that a normal citizen lacked. Oh, and it gets better, the prison was an hour and a half from Westchester.

So, I guess when Pyro was being called away the night before it was to go help with this.

I made out with a guy right before he helped with a terrorist strike. That's just wonderful.

I wanted to bury my head in my hands and cry at my own stupidity. Or scream. However, Rogue sauntered up next to me and I resisted.

"Hey." I greeted her without looking up. I was trying to focus on getting all the newspapers out and not screaming.

"Hi." Her drawl came out thicker than usual.

"So what are you doing here so early?" I glanced up at her, then paused. "Why are you wearing sunglasses?"

She just shrugged. "Just felt like it."

I stared at her, confused. "But why? The sun's barely even up and your inside."

"I know."

"Um. Okay." I didn't get it. "You've been hanging out with Gambit too much lately." He was always wearing sunglasses inside, but he had an excuse.

Rogue started to blush. It crept up her neck and face until even her ears were red. "Why would you say that?" She asked.

I squinted at her. "Why are you blushing?"

"I'm not blushing." She said, as she turned even redder.

"Yes you are." A smile crept up on my face. "Why are you wearing the glasses and blushing, huh, Rogue?" I may not have understood the _why_ behind them, but I knew both had something to do with Gambit.

She frowned at me, and was possible glaring, but I couldn't tell because of the glasses. She grabbed me by the arm and jerked me behind a row of books so we were out of sight.

"Hey that hurt." I frowned at her.

She yanked the sunglasses off her face and when I got a look at her eyes I was shocked.

Her eyes were red on black, just like Gambits

"Whoa…how did that happen?" I asked, forgetting about her rough handling of me..

"How do you think?" Rogue snapped.

I gave her a wide eyed look as I shrugged. "I know you touched, but how'd it happen?" Rogue was so careful that I couldn't believe it was just an accident.

"The idiot kissed me." She pushed me back, when I got too close. I had leaned forward, studying her eyes, amazed.

"Woo-hoo Rogue!" I smiled big.

"No! This isn't a good thing." She snapped. "He went unconscious."

Oh. "I'm sorry." Wow. Here I was freaking out over what I'd done last night with a guy and poor Rogue was having to deal with almost killing someone.

"I told him not to, but he wouldn't listen. Kept telling me it would be okay."

Oh God, she was starting to cry. "Aww, Rogue. It's not your fault. Have you talked to him?"

She shook her head. "Storm and Hank took him to the medical lab last night when he didn't wake back up. I've kind of been hiding since. I don't think I can face him again."

"This isn't your fault. You warned him."

"And then I hurt him." She clenched her fists. "I just can't handle this." And then she really broke down. I hugged her, even though she resisted at first, then waited out her tears. I felt awful, because there wasn't anything I could do.

After a few moments she calmed down.

"I'm sorry." She said, voice strong again.

"Don't be."

"I don't even know if he's okay."

"I'm sure he's fine and everything will work out." I patted her shoulder.

"Would you do me a favor?" She asked. Her eyes were puffy and red, face still wet from crying.

"Anything." At that moment I just wanted her to feel better.

She hesitated. "Would you go find out how he's doing? I could watch over the library while you do it."

"Yea, yea. Of course."

"Thank you." She said as she wiped under her eyes.

"It's no problem." I assured her.

I left her in the library and headed to the medical lab. I'd only intended to find someone like Dr. McCoy to ask about Gambit, but I didn't find anyone. However I did find where Gambit was.

He appeared to be sleeping, over wise I wouldn't have crept into his room. I looked around for something that might indicate how he was doing so I could tell Rogue, but I didn't see anything. Just as I was tiptoeing back toward the door, I heard him clear his throat.

Slowly turning around I found Gambit looking at me.

"You make a habit of creeping around while people are sleeping petit?" He looked amused, but beaten down in a tired kind of way.

"I wasn't creeping around."

"No?" He raised a drowsy eyebrow.

"Nope. I just wanted to check up on you. I would have asked someone how you were doing, but I couldn't find anyone so I thought I'd take a look for myself."

He placed a hand over his heart. "I'm touched."

I shrugged. "So, you doing okay?"

"I'm fine. Just sleeping it off. Or trying to."

I gave him my best 'get out of jail free' smile. "Sorry."

"Rogue sent you?"

"Yea." I didn't see a point denying it.

"She okay?"

"Yea. She's just really upset about what happen." I took a few steps into the room and he indicated a chair next to the bed, which I sat down in. "She was worried about you."

"You'll let her know I'm okay?" He wasn't sitting up, and was lacking his usual flirty-ness, so I wondered just how okay he really was.

"Yep." I nodded.

"While you're doing that ask her to stop by."

"Most definitely." I gave him most encouraging smile. "You don't need anything do you? I could get you some water or something. Another blanket?" The more I studied him the more I realized he didn't look too good. How long had that kiss lasted?

"No, no. I just need some sleep, but thanks anyway petit." He gave me a sleepy half smile, looking like he wasn't going to be awake much longer/

I shot him one back and got to my feet. "Okay then, get some rest."

His response was belated and mumbled, and sounding more French than English. He was sleeping again as I closed the door behind me.

I headed back to the library and told Rogue about the conversation. Playing up Gambit's health. I made her promise me she'd visit him before she left the library.

All though Rogue's problems had distracted me from my own for a little while, it didn't last. By that afternoon, I was worrying over what I thought I was doing with Pyro. Had I really told him he could come back? What about that move the Brotherhood had just made?

Was he using me for something? I still didn't know. I felt like a stupid, dumb girl for just kissing a guy and forgetting myself. Not the independent woman I wanted to be. What if Otto found out? He'd go nuts. Everything that was being built between us would be destroyed. I didn't want to risk my relationship with my brother on some guy.

Especially one that was a mutant terrorist, who hated my brother, hated normal people, could possibly be using me, and who kidnapped me.

Thinking over that list had me wondering what was wrong with me.

**A/N: Don't forget to review.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So this one is much shorter than usual, but I still hope you like it. **

I continued to stress about the situation I was in, and figured going to class would be a welcome break; forcing me to focus on something other than my own possible downward spiral.

Ha. If only.

Sociology 101. I should have known better than to think I'd be able to escape reality for some boring text book information, not with this act of deviance by the Brotherhood. My soc teacher wanted to talk about nothing but the Brotherhood's staged jailbreak, deeming it a perfect example to of how mutants play a role in today's society.

The teacher pulled up footage of the attack for us to watch from the internet, because you know everything ends up on YouTube.

I didn't want to watch it. In fact, I looked away so I wouldn't see, but it was like a train wreck and I had turn back. Of course, Pyro was right there next to Magneto, hurling fire balls.

I slunk down into my seat, feeling sick. I'd been kissing that guy hours before he'd gone off to play the human flame thrower. It was one thing to know Pyro did this, but a totally different thing to watch it.

After viewing a few clips of the footage, the class started discussing it, and I thought it would be wise of me not to join in.

I mean really, what would I add to the conversation anyway?

'_Ya'll don't have a clue what these crazies are really like. I've got some firsthand experience with these people; they did kidnap me after all. Why, you ask? Because my brother is an ex-member of theirs. You see the one setting everything on fire? Yea, he's the one that did the actual kidnapping, but don't worry, it's all okay now. We kissed and made up.' _

Yea. I don't think that would go over too well.

The teacher wanted to know what our reaction to hearing this news had been. Some of the students talked about being shocked, outraged, even scared. I can't really say that I blamed them, the prison housed some seriously dangerous criminals and it was pretty close to here. This topic lead into, do we think that all mutants are dangerous, and the collective answer was yes. Again, how I could I argue when I knew for a fact that most of the powers mutants had could be used as weapons. The class argued amongst themselves if all mutants had the same agenda as the Brotherhood. It made me think of the Professor. Then the teacher wanted to know what we thought mutant's impact on society was. Was it positive, negative, or neutral? The other all response was negative.

The teacher asked the class, that since mutants were genetically different than us, did that make them human? What an awful question. I resented it. My brother and I came from the same set of parents, and he was just as human as me. I decided I'd had enough and left the class long before it was over.

As I was walking toward my car it occurred to me that they might think I was a mutant sympathizer or possibly even a mutant and they might not like that.

I realized I didn't care one way or another.

XXXXXXXX

The next day things seemed off at the school. At first I had no idea what it was, and couldn't exactly put my finger on it, but everyone at the school seemed all abuzz about something. I didn't see anyone that I could just come right out and ask either. Kurt and Rogue didn't stop by the library once, and I didn't know where Otto was.

When it was time for me to train with Logan, I was still curious but ready to put it out of my mind for the time being. I had to stay focused when working with him, or he'd be quick to demonstrate why it was a bad idea not to. I showed up a few minutes early, and waited…and waited. I watched the clock for forty-five minutes. Logan had never been this late before.

I didn't just want to leave and him show up, but I didn't want to just keep sitting there either if he wasn't coming. I debated it for another fifteen minutes before compromising that I'd go look for him.

I was still in my work out clothes when I started my search. I asked a student in the hall if he'd seen Logan but he hadn't. Checking the Professor's office proved pointless, but I did find Bobby Drake. When I asked him, he told me that it was probably no big deal, Logan had probably forgotten, and to just head on home.

I thanked him, but had no intention of just leaving. Logan just forgetting about training didn't set right with me; he'd never done it before.

So I kept looking around until I found him…in the garage, where I'd already looked once before.

I wasn't surprised to find Rogue with him; I was fairly certain she was his favorite person here, but too late I realized I was walking in on something I probably shouldn't have. This looked like a serious talk but before I could back away and leave them alone Logan noticed me. Rogue turned my way to see what had caught his attention.

"Sorry." I said awkwardly. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I was just looking for you since you weren't at training, but I'll just go."

Rogue shook her head. "Your fine."

"Sorry for standing you up, kid." Logan had on his worn leather jacket, a bag slung over his shoulder, keys in hand, which I assumed went to the big motorcycle behind him.

"It's okay. No big deal." I twisted the ring on my thumb, a nervous habit. "So…what's going on?"

"Leaving." He said as he slung a leg over the motorcycle.

I glanced over at Rogue, she looked upset. Part angry, part hurt.

"Leaving? Like 'road trip' leaving or like 'not coming back' leaving?"

He didn't answer, just kind of gave me a 'what do you think' look.

Rogue crossed her arms. "We need you here."

"You'll be fine." He assured her in that gruff manner he had.

"You're running again." It was almost like an accusation the way she said it.

He didn't deny it.

"After everything this is how it ends up?"

Maybe I should leave. This was definitely between them. "I'm just going to go…"

"Stay." Rogue glanced at me.

I did, and very uncomfortable about it.

"Look Marie, I'm sorry." I was surprised to hear Logan use her real name. "But I can't stay."

"This doesn't make sense Logan. I thought this is what you wanted."

I was definitely missing something.

"I gotta go." Was his answer, then the motorcycle roared to life.

She stared him down for a long moment before finally moving out of the way of the bike's path.

He gave me a quick nod goodbye, shot Rogue a look that had 'sorry' all over it, and then out he went.

I stood next to Rogue as we watched him disappear from view. The silence was unbelievably loud after he was gone.

"Do you really think he's gone for good?" I asked after several minutes.

"Maybe, but I don't know for sure. He said it was for good."

"I don't understand why he left."

"Jean came back." The way she said it was like that explained everything.

"Oh." However I was even more lost than before. I didn't know a Jean. Where had she been for her to be coming back? Why did Logan leave because of it?

Instead of asking, I just followed Rogue back into the school. She went about like nothing was wrong. She asked if I wanted to stick around and hangout for awhile. Of course I agreed.

We didn't talk about Logan, or whoever Jean was.

Gambit found us in the kitchen, trying to make sweet tea. We'd been at for awhile and had wasted a lot of sugar in the process. It really shouldn't be that damn hard to get it right, but for some reason neither her nor me could do it. Gambit, being the older and wiser of the three of us, accomplished it with one try. Don't ask me why I wanted it so badly, but I'd been craving it, and for that night Gambit was my hero.

Even though Rogue was pretending everything was fine, I knew it wasn't and I'm sure Gambit had picked up on it too. Something about the look in Rogue's eyes made me think this had hurt her worse than the thing Gambit had thrown her way; in a way maybe even worse than the problems with her powers. She didn't cry or mop or get outwardly angry, but I think, that despite Logan's reasons for leaving, Rogue was standing his going to heart.

I didn't understand their relationship, didn't know what circumstances it was founded on, but I did know she was going to be the one who missed him the most.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! **


	10. Chapter 10

The next day Otto found me in the library.

"Hey," I smiled. "I haven't seen you in a couple of days."

"Yea. I've been busy." He gave a shrug.

I was glad he stopped by, not only because I was happy to see him, but I hoped he had some answers about yesterday. "Can I ask you something?"

He gave me a suspicious look. "Like what?"

"Who's Jean?"

Both his eyebrows shot up. "You don't know?"

I shook my head.

"She used to stay here." He leaned against the counter that separated us.

"Oh." How long ago was that, I wondered?

"You really don't know who she is?" He seemed shocked.

"Am I supposed to?" I must have missed something.

"Do you remember anything that happened at Alcatraz?"

"Yea. The Cure and stuff was being given out there and the Brotherhood attacked." I'd learned about it when I'd been researching on mutants before I'd left home, but what did that have to do with anything?

"Yea, well do remember how one mutant pretty much destroyed the place by themselves?"

I thought for a second then nodded.

"That was her."

"Her as in Jean?" No way.

"Yep."

"Seriously?" Both my eyebrows shot up.

"They thought she was dead, but as it turns out…" he finished with a shrug.

"But wasn't she like, with the Brotherhood? Why is she here?" From what I'd heard she had been pretty powerful.

"Look I don't know all the details, but as far as I know she was one of the X-Men long before she joined the Brotherhood."

"Logan left because of her." I told him, hoping he'd have some insight on that.

"I don't know anything about that."

"Me either." I sighed.

Otto glanced at the clock on the wall behind me. "It's about your lunch time, isn't? Want to get something to eat?"

The offer caught me off guard, because we were still tiptoeing around each other a little. I grinned and nodded. "Just give me about five minutes, okay?"

"Yea, sure."

"You can have a seat over there while I finish this up." I pointed to the extra chair I kept behind the counter for when Rogue or Kurt paid me a visit.

Otto teleported from the opposite side of the counter into the chair.

When I looked at him, he flashed me a rare smile. I was still getting used to his using his powers. While they weren't knew to him, and it had been awhile since I'd found out about them, it was still odd to see him use them.

Or have them used on me. When it was my break, he teleported us into the same ally that we'd been in the day we had run into Pyro.

"Pizza?" He suggested.

"Yea, okay. But how about you warn me next time you decide you're going to just flash me out of somewhere."

He kind of chuckled. "Sure."

"So what you told me earlier, that's all you know about this Jean lady?" I asked after we had been seated at the pizza shop and our orders placed.

Otto, gave a shrug, his broad shoulder moving under the t-shirt he was wearing. "What I know about her is mostly from Magneto and Pyro. Xavier isn't wanting to talk about her really with any of us, in less its Storm or Beast."

I frowned; this whole thing just seemed odd. "What did Magneto and Pyro tell you?"

"She's powerful. She a telepath and has telekinesis, and is a lot stronger than Xavier. From what I heard he blocked off most of her powers. Magneto said it was to control her, but I really don't see Xavier doing that. Anyway her powers kind of developed of a mind of their own, like another personality altogether that called itself the Phoenix, and Alcatraz was the end results of that."

"So she's dangerous." The more I was hearing about her the less safe she sounded.

Otto paused. "We're all pretty dangerous Bell, just some of us more than others." The 'we' and 'us' weren't me and him; they were him and the other mutants. That cut me a little and I didn't even understand why.

I breathed in deeply and brushed it off. "I realize that, but if she's stronger than most doesn't that make her more dangerous than most?"

By the look on his face I knew I phrased that the wrong way. "Just because a mutant is powerful doesn't mean she's automatically dangerous."

"No, but given her past involvement with the Brotherhood, it should be taken in account." Well, if I thought I'd said the wrong thing before…

Otto leaned forward and stared at me. "That's the same argument Drake gave Xavier about me."

I sat back in my chair; what did I say to that? "Bobby was wrong."

"But you're not?" He countered.

"I know you." Maybe.

"And Xavier knows Jean." Why was he arguing for her? "You can't deem one not dangerous because you know them and another dangerous because you don't. It's all about the choices made. If Xavier and Magneto switched places I'd bet things would be even worse for the homo sepiens because of Xavier's set of gifts."

I studied him and thought about what he'd just said. Very good point, but that's not what bothered me. I don't think he realized the way he said homo sepien, like it was below him. Had there been some truth to what Pyro had been saying?

"What?" He knitted his eyebrows together over those hazel green eyes that matched mine.

"Why'd you say it like that?" I asked.

"Say what?"

"Home sepiens. Why did you say it like that?"

He looked genuinely confused. "What are you talking about?"

"The way you said the words was like your above that or something."

"Of course, I'm a mutant. We're superior."

I was stunned and hurt. "Did you really just say you were better than me?"

His jaw dropped a little, and his eyes got a little bigger. I think he remembered _who_ he was talking to, a homo sepien. Like he could really forget. "That's not what I meant."

"Yes it is." It came out flatly as I stood up. I didn't have it in me just then for an argument with him, especially when I felt like I'd just been kicked in the teeth. After all this, he still thought that way?

"Where are you going?"

"Back to work." I slapped down the money for the pizza that hadn't even come out yet and headed for the door. He wouldn't need to worry about paying this homo sapien's way.

"Wait." He was on his feet following me. "Listen, just wait."

"I'm going." I was out the door, headed for the bus stop.

"You don't have your car, remember? Just let me explain, that came out wrong."

I didn't want an explanation. I wanted to go home and curl up under my blanket and hide, but that wasn't an option. Had I been fooling myself? Had Pyro been at least partly right about how Otto felt about normal people? He was keeping stride with me, and I wished I had longer legs to make it a little more difficult for him.

"I'll take the bus." I replied.

"The bus?" He looked like he couldn't believe I'd even suggest it. "Just let me take you back."

"No." I wasn't snapping, I just wanted to get away. I felt so embarrassed and hurt.

His hand landed on my shoulder and we were back in the library. I hadn't been angry before, but when Otto ignored me and did it anyway my temper hit the roof. Did he think he could do that because he was a mutant and I wasn't? Was that how his mutant superiority worked?

I thought fast and used a move Logan had taught me, and Otto landed on his back. Other than having the air knocked out of him a little he was fine, but it got his attention. The surprise on his face, gave me some satisfaction. Here he was, literally a foot taller than me and I'd put him on the ground. Granted if he'd been expecting it, it probably wouldn't have worked.

"I said no." I used a level voice as I looked down into my brother's surprised face. "Now get out of my library."

There was a hesitation, like he was going to argue but the he was gone.

I glanced around to be sure he was gone, the library had been closed up while I was gone, and no one was around.

I burst into tears.

Hours later after I'd left, and was climbing the stairs to my apartment, I felt like a complete jackass for the way I'd reacted. Maybe I'd read a little too much into what he'd said, or maybe I hadn't, but I shouldn't have gotten so upset. I'd thought about finding Otto before I'd left the school to apologize, but couldn't muster up the nerve. I was still hurt and ashamed of myself, and my embarrassment had me pushing it off till the next day.

I entered my apartment to find Pyro watching TV on my couch.

"How did you get in here?" With the security system Dr. McCoy had put in, he shouldn't be able to.

"I've got my ways." All arrogant smugness.

I rolled my eyes and let it go for the time being; I wasn't up for arguing with him. Instead, I tossed my purse in chair and took a seat on the other side of the couch.

Pyro raised an eyebrow.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing." He turned back to the TV, looking amused.

I watched him for a second, before looking at it too, but my mind stayed on him. We were so different. It went way beyond the whole mutant thing. He wasn't anything like the type of guy I was normally into. I'd grown up with country boys driving raised, pick-em up trucks, with southern drawls and that followed football like it was a religion; I _liked_ those guys. I could remember Otto as one, in a dirty old trucker hat and boots. Not so much anymore now-a-days.

I snuck a look at Pyro, trying to imagine him behind the wheel of a F-150, listening to Toby Keith, I couldn't. I'd had a crush on a guy who'd been arrested for joy riding in a stolen truck and I used to think that guy was pretty badass; he hadn't wanted to give me the time of day because he thought I was too girly. I chuckled; Pyro made him look like a cream puff.

"What?" He looked back at me.

I shook my head. "This is crazy you know that right?"

"It's just TV, Bell." Smartass.

I rolled my eyes. "I meant us."

"There isn't an _us._"

That stung, and I wasn't sure how to respond. Yea, I knew there really wasn't an 'us, us', but did he have to be so quick to correct me?

"Pyro? I rubbed my palms on my thighs, no I didn't want an argument, but this wouldn't leave me alone and I had to bring it up.

"Hmm?" He didn't look at me.

"You didn't tell me last time."

"Tell you what?" Oh, he knew what.

"Are you here to get to Otto?"

"What would you do if I was?" His expression was taunting, as he finally looked over.

"Can't you just give me a straight answer?" I asked.

"Can't you just leave it alone?"

Was he serious? "That's a joke right? What if I used you to get to get to someone you cared about? How would you like it?"

"Depends. Am I getting laid?"

I nailed him in the shoulder. "No."

"Ouch." He rubbed at where I'd hit him. "Not even just once?"

"If that's why you're here then you've been wasting your time." I folded my arms, annoyed with him.

"It was a joke." He leaned back, smiling. Somehow, without my noticing, he'd moved closer and our shoulders were touching.

"I just want an answer." I said.

His expression sobered, and he was playing with his Zippo. "What do you want me to say? Yes? I'm under orders to use you to eventually bait your brother out? Or no? You're the exception; I'm here only because I like you and am willing to risk Magneto finding out? I could be lying either way; how would you know? You're just going to trust me? It's not going to matter what I tell you, you won't really know the truth." Then he shrugged, his shoulder moving against mine. "But if it makes you feel better about this, then pick one and lie to yourself."

I shook my head slightly, I should tell him to leave. "No. You pick. I'm not very good at lying to myself anymore." That way I could just go along with whatever he told me.

Pyro was quiet for a moment. "Okay, whatever then. Bell, its no. I'm risking Magneto's wrath for you. I'm here because I like you a lot, _even though_ you're not a mutant."

It figures that be the one he picked, so it had to be the other one; him being here because of orders was more logical anyway. But really the problem was me. I was going along with this.

"That was romantic right?" He nudged me with his elbow, grinning.

I resisted a chuckle. "Defiantly. I can just imagine how much more you'd like me if I was lime green with a forked tongue and could shoot lasers out of my eyes."

He shuddered then laughed. "You'd be safe. Forked tongues aren't as hot as they sound. Trust me."

I shot him a questioning look. "How would you know?"

He shrugged like it was no big deal. "This one girl had one."

I scrunched up my nose. "Eww. You kissed a chick with a forked tongue? Like a snakes tongue?"

"I didn't know until it was too late."

"Yuck."

"That's what I said."

"And how long ago was this?" I asked.

"Why do you want to know?"

"I just want to know if it was before or after you kissed me."

"Before. Defiantly before."

"Like same day before?"

"Why?" He grinned. "Jealous?"

I rolled my eyes. "No." A little. Not about the snake tongue thing though.

"Thought you couldn't lie to yourself."

"I'm not. I just need to know incase I should schedule a check-up. Make sure I've got all my shots."

He thought for a second. "It's been a year, at least."

"Good."

"You're jealous." He looked very satisfied with himself.

"I am not."

Pyro put an arm around me. "Yes you are."

I rolled my eyes at the comment and let him keep his arm where it was. "Keep telling yourself."

"I will, but don't worry; I'm under strict orders not to fraternize with other co-eds while seducing you. That is, if I were under orders."

I elbowed him. I was never going to get a straight answer from him.

"You better stop hitting me." He warned.

"Or what?" I raised an eyebrow.

Flames erupted in his hand opposite of me. I jumped but he held tighter to me as he chuckled.

"Watch." He said, and the fire started dancing above his out stretched palm. It was fascinating.

"Can you touch it?" I asked.

Without a word the flames covered his hand, burning over his skin for long moments before dying away to revel an undamaged hand. I reached up with my own hand to touch his, marveling that he could come away unscathed by fire.

"That's amazing." I traced my fingertips over his palm. "And it doesn't hurt?"

"No." He answered, watching me.

"That's pretty cool Jo-Pyro." I slipped up, almost called him John.

"It's fine." He laced our fingers together. "You can call me that."

I swallowed hard, as I realized this was going to hurt when it finally blew up in my face.

"I found out your full name by the way." I said, staring at our hands, trying to not think about how dumb I was being. "St. John Allerdyce."

"Who told you?" He sounded only mildly interested.

"Rogue." I thought about what else she said that day; about him having bad experiences with normal people and I wanted to ask him about it.

"So you're asking about me?" He asked smugly.

I didn't get to answer because we both felt his phone vibrating in his pocket between us.

"Goddamnit." He spat out, taking his arm from around me sitting up before jerking it out to look at the caller ID.

"They've got you on a short leash." I muttered.

He shot me a glare. "I-"

"Got to go." I finished.

Pyro raised a brow. "Not happy to see me go?"

"I remember what you went and did after you left here last time." I stated.

"Oh, yea, you heard about that?" He smirked.

"I wasn't impressed."

He laughed outright.

"I'm glad you find it funny, you don't have to worry about running into one of them." I meant one of the criminals he'd help to escape.

He quite smiling and looked away. "You've got your brother to lookout for you."

"Yea, maybe. We had a big fight today." I said quietly.

Pyro leaned back then brushed a reddish brown strand out of his eyes. He touched my chin. "He'd still come for you if you needed."

I knitted my eyebrows at the uncharacteristically _nice_ thing he just said.

His phone started going off again. He was going to leave.

_Not yet_, I thought right before I leaned in and kissed him. It caught him off guard, and it took him a moment to respond.

"_Now_ you want to do this?" He asked as we broke away. "When I've got to go?" He was smoothing a hand over my hair.

I laughed, wiping lip-gloss off of him.

"You've got to quite wearing that stuff." He told me.

"Ha. Yea right."

"I'll be back soon as I can, shouldn't be more than a few days."

"Sure."I nodded.

He kissed once more then left.

Just what the hell did I think I was doing?


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thank you everyone for the great reviews. Ya'll are awesome.**

**I know some of you don't like Otto, but I love his character as much as I do Bell's. Even though he's Bells big brother, he's still young himself and has had a hard time and has done some bad things and is trying to deal with it. We're only seeing things from Bells view point. **

**However, just because I like him doesn't mean you can't tell me you hate him. I love when I get a review telling me what a jerk he's being; it makes me think you like Bell's character. **

I was still sitting on my couch after Pyro was gone, wondering what I was doing, when there was a knock on my door. I frowned as sat up. Had Pyro forgotten something and come back?

I got up and padded over to pull the door open and to find Otto on the other side. I knew the surprise I felt was written all over my face.

"Hey." He greeted me.

"Hi." I backed up to let him in, wondering what he was doing here. "Is something wrong?"

Shaking his head no, he silently shut the door behind him.

I folded my arms and titled my head, looking at him; he was still wearing the same worn out jeans and boots with a gray t-shirt. It was still warm enough that you didn't need a jacket yet.

"What's going on?" I asked. He looked like he had something on his mind, and I wondered if this surprise visit had something to do with earlier.

Otto looked me right in the eye. "What I said, I was wrong for it and I'm sorry."

I was taken aback by the apology and before I could think to respond he continued.

"Sometimes I forget you're just a regular person, I mean I know you're not a mutant, but you're still different. You're my sister." He rubbed the back of his neck, then looked…sheepish? "I'm not making sense."

I nodded. "I get what your saying."

"I'm trying to change the way I think about things." He thought for a second then added."Again."

Confused, I frowned. "Again?"

He shrugged. "Nothing. Just know I'm trying here, okay? And I'm sorry about what I said; _really_ sorry. I wasn't thinking and I didn't mean to hurt you."

He waited for me to say something, and I just looked at him, amazed. His expression was the sincerest I'd seen in a long time, but it took me a moment to pick up on the uncertainty. Like he was worried I wouldn't accept the apology?

"Thank you." I knew him well enough to know he rarely apologized for anything he did, even when he'd been a nice guy. I loved him too much not to forgive him.

He let out a sigh, almost like he'd been holding his breath.

"And I'm sorry too for the not thinking about what I said, and then you know, flipping you."

The edges of his mouth curved up slightly, almost smile. "Actually I was impressed. Once I caught my breath."

I smiled proudly. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yea. Looks like Wolverine was actually teaching you something."

"Yea. I kind of miss it." I admitted. I missed Logan even more though. I hadn't realized how attached I'd grown to him until he was gone.

Otto nodded. "I know it's getting kind of late, but do you want to try and get something to eat again?"

I smiled, was he trying to make it up to me? "Yea, sure." I hadn't eaten since this morning since lunch hadn't gone as planned.

"Alright. Same place?"

"Works for me." I picked up my purse and located my keys. I followed him out and we walked over to the restaurant.

I thought it was going to be awkward, like the augment had set us back again, but Otto surprised me again. He made an effort to make it pleasant, like he was trying to make up for what he'd said. We avoided all topics that might lead to an argument and I think that was for the best. If there was a lull in the conversation he'd pick it back up again, usually it was to ask me something. He wanted to know how my classes were going, if I liked working at the library?

I appreciated his trying, it made me feel like he really did care after all, but I was starting to realize that my hope of finding the person I remembered in him was a lost cause. Since leaving home something had changed permanently in him, and I wondered what had brought it on. I mean, I know that being with the Brotherhood was part of the reason, but it couldn't be the cause of it all, could it?

There were things I missed about the boy he'd been, but I was seeing not all of him was gone. This was trying to make something up to me, came straight from when we were kids. If there had been a bad fight between us, he had always been the one to try to make it better (I'll admit I was too spoiled to be the bigger person usually and get past it without an incentive). Granted, we'd never had problems like this before.

Then I wondered what he thought of the ways I'd changed. Did he not like it? Was that part of the reason for the problems we'd been having? It didn't seem fair to put all the blame on him.

We finished up and he walked me back home.

"Again, I really am sorry for what I said." Otto looked over at me as we climbed the stairs to my apartment (the elevator only worked about half the time).

"Forget about it, okay?" I told him, because I just wanted to get past it.

He opened his open to say something.

"I didn't say the right thing earlier either." I stopped at the top of the stairs. "But I forgive you."

He studied me for a second before nodding. "Okay."

"Good." I nodded.

"Alright. Enough with the chick flick moments." He shouldered open the stairwell door. "You want to play Xbox with me?"

I laughed. "Seriously?" The offer seemed to come out of left field.

"Yea."

"Okay, sure, but I'm warning you I haven't improved." I was never into video games when I'd been a kid, I always wanted to be outside, and then when I'd gotten older I was too worried about my friends to get interested, so I had no skill with them.

"I didn't figure, but I'm tired of playing by myself."

"I can't believe you still play." I stated. Otto had liked them since he'd gotten his first Nintendo, but they were usually reserved for when it was too dark to play outside anymore.

"Kills time." He shrugged as I opened up my apartment door. "I'll go get it."

"'K."

Otto was gone in the blink of an eye then back again with the gaming system in hand and games tuck under his arm. "I've got some old school games you should be able to handle."

Turns out, I was still lacking in video game skills. Otto won most of the games we played, but I got in a few wins. However, I think that was just him being nice and letting me.

Thoughts of Pyro stayed at bay while Otto was there. It the first time I hung out with my brother without something going wrong, and if I thought about Pyro I'd start worrying about getting found out so I just didn't.

XXX

I got my first glimpse of Jean the next day. It was on my way back from lunch, I'd eaten outside with Rogue, enjoying the warm weather before it faded away, when I'd seen Ms. Monroe with a woman I'd never seen before. They were walking the outer limits of the grounds, away from where the students and most anyone else went.

She was of course gorgeous, something I'd come to expect from the women that stayed here. Must be something in the water? But anyway, I at first didn't have a clue who she was, not until I'd pointed her out to Rogue and asked.

"That's Jean." She told me.

"She's really pretty." I said, to be nice. Otto had been right, it wasn't my place to deem her dangerous or not.

"Yea." Rogue's tone was flat.

"You don't like her?"

"I like her fine."

"But…?"

She looked at me. "But Logan left because of her." She shook her head. "Don't get me wrong, I'm really glad she's alive and thankful that she's back in control of herself, but I just wish Logan hadn't left."

I frowned. "I still don't understand why Logan left because of her. Does he not like her?"

"Yea right." She snorted. "He's in love with her."

My eyebrows shot up. "Say what?" Logan in love? We were talking about the same guy here, right?

"You heard me." She replied as we headed into the building that housed the library.

"But…now I'm really confused. If he loved her then why leave?"

"I'm not sure." Rogue admitted. "I think it has something to do with Scott, that's she still in love with him. But honestly it doesn't make sense why her coming back would make him leave. I guess something happen that I don't know about." She heaved a sigh. "All I _do_ know is that Logan's gone."

Rogue was hurting over that; I could hear it in her voice.

I bumped shoulders with her. "Maybe not for good."

"Maybe." It didn't sound like she believed it.

"So who's Scott?" I changed topics.

"He was another X-Men here. I'd say the Professor's second in command. Him and Jean were together. Him and Storm helped save me and Logan, then brought us here."

I frowned. "You knew Logan before you came here?"

"Yea, kind of."

"Huh. I didn't know that."

"It wasn't very long. We meet in a roadhouse."

"How old were you?" She was only twenty-two now, and I knew she'd been here for awhile, so what had she been doing hanging out at a roadhouse that would attract a guy like Logan?

"Seventeen. So that's been about five years ago. When I left home I headed north. He was hustling fights at the roadhouse for money. Afterward a couple of guys came to give him trouble, saying there wasn't a way he could have fought like that without a mark to show for it. To say the least claws were drawn and he had to leave. I needed a ride and snuck onto his trailer to hitch a ride without his knowing but he caught me." She smiled a little like she was remembering it.

"So that's how ya'll meet, huh? You weren't scared of him?" I knew I would have been. Hell, I had been and I hadn't even known about those claws of his.

"Yea, but there would have been only so much he could have done to me thanks to my powers and believe me, I was better off taking that chance with him than with the other guys in that place."

"Yea, I reckon you were." The conversation ended after that and I headed back to the library to finish off the day.

I wasn't sure how I felt about Jean, but I suppose it didn't matter what I thought about her since it wasn't like I had a say in the matter. Besides, there were other things weighing on my mind.

I'd had a great time with Otto yesterday (excluding lunch), better then I've had in a long time. I was still surprised Otto had apologized but it made me think he was trying, that he cared. That's what I needed from him.

Growing up Mama had always warned me to be nice to my brother, because when she and Daddy were gone, Otto was going to be all I had left. I don't think this was how she'd indented things to end up when she told me that, but either way she'd been right.

Rogue and Kurt and everyone were wonderful and I loved them to death, but Otto was family. We came from the same place and had a history-a _good_ history together, one that made me giving up on him impossible.

I'd come to accept this wasn't going to happen overnight. He'd changed, I'd changed, and even our environment was different. This was bound to be difficult at times, and if I could keep him from finding out about Pyro, then I think it might work.

If Otto had been more like he'd been before, mild mannered, easy to get along with, not much on fighting, then I wouldn't have been as terrified of him finding out about Pyro. He would have gotten mad, yelled some, told how disappointed he was in me, I wouldn't have liked it but I could deal with it.

But now? I had no idea. I don't believe for one second he'd hurt me, but Pyro was another story. Otto was a big guy and this new aggression in him made me think he could do real damage. Not to say I thought Pyro couldn't hold his own, but them fighting (and possibly killing the each other) was the last thing I wanted. How would I be able to get over my brother if killing Pyro? And I don't think I'd even be able to forgive John if he hurt my brother.

I shouldn't even be worrying about Pyro's well fair. He was most likely using me anyway. I was risking what I had with my brother on a guy who was probably going to do serious damage to me.

_Why_?

I shook my head.

I have no idea why.

**A/N: I'd love to hear what you think, so leave a review!**


	12. Chapter 12

"Bell."

Two strong hands were on my shoulder, shaking me awake a night later.

"Bell. Wake up."

It hit me that someone was in my apartment that shouldn't be. I jerked up right, terrified, and hit my head against who ever was there.

"Shit!" Then he groaned letting go of me.

"Pyro?" Oh, please let that be him and not some other crazy.

"Yea." He gritted out.

I breathed out a sigh of relief, then rubbed my forehead where I'd bumped his, trying to calm my heart rate.

"What are you doing here?" I said in a loud whisper.

He grabbed my arm and pulled. "Get up."

"What? Let go." I jerked my arm back.

"You need to get out of here."

I shook my head, trying to figure out what was going on. "Why?" I mean, I had been _sleeping _here and I still wasn't completely awake.

"There isn't time." He reached over and flipped on the bedside lamp.

I blinked in the light, trying to adjust my eyes. "What the hell is going on?"

"Just get up." He snapped, impatiently snatching my blanket away.

"Damn it John." I snatched it back, I wasn't wearing a bra and by the sudden interest on his face I knew he noticed. "You either tell me what's going on or I'm going to start screaming."

He glared at my blanket, then at me. "Magneto found out. You need to get to the school before they get here."

Magneto found out…? "Found out what? Hadn't he already known?

"No! He found out. Now get UP!" He snapped again.

"He didn't know!?!" I asked in disbelieve, feeling panicked and still not completely awake.

Pyro heaved an impatient sigh. "No. Make you happy now?"

"Good God, John. What have you gotten yourself into?" I'd bet my bottom dollar Magneto wasn't happy about this.

"Worry about yourself. Get up and call your brother to come get you. There's no way you'll make it out of here otherwise."

"What about you?" I asked, standing.

His eyes travelled over me and I remembered again I was missing my bra and gave him my back as I pulled on the jeans that I'd left on the floor.

He cleared his throat. "I'll be fine. Just hurry up."

I glanced back at him over my shoulder. Reddish brown hair messy from running his hands threw it, he looked on edge.

"Turn around." I said, snatching my bra off the floor where I'd dropped it after taking it off earlier.

He smirked.

I glared.

He was still smirking when he turned around.

I hurried up and dressed. "Okay."

He was grinning when I glanced back around. "Should have made me leave the room."

I threw the closest thing I could put my hand on, which happened to be a shoe. He dodged it easily.

Pyro's amusement faded as he picked up my cell phone off the dresser and tossed it to me. "Call your brother to get you."

"And just what am I supposed to tell him?"

"Whatever you want." He was snapping at me again. "Just get the hell out of here so I can leave before they get here."

"You're not coming?" I asked.

He looked at me like I was crazy. "No."

"But."

He crossed the room and ripped the phone out of my hand. I went to snatch it back but he gave me his back and didn't turn around again until it was to his ear.

"Please don't John." I begged. If Otto found out, this would destroy what we just started to get back. "Please." I held my hand out for the phone. "I'll talk to him."

Pyro just looked at me.

"Listen carefully Shadow." He had arrogance in his tone.

I closed my eyes and shoved my hands into my hair, wanting to pull it out. There went everything. I couldn't help the couple of hopeless tears that squeezed out.

"She's fine, asshole."

I opened my eyes when I felt his thumb brushing my tears away. The frown on his face was directed at me.

"You need to come get her. Magneto has sent people here to get her."

He paused listening, then responded. "Wait five minutes before you come. " A beat. "I need to make sure no one's watching, so you _will_ wait, otherwise this will be pointless."

I glanced around my bedroom like I might find someone in there watching.

He snapped the flip phone shut.

"Someone's watching?"

"No." He muttered, handing me the phone.

"Then, why does he need to wait?" I started to ring my hands.

"Because." He answered then had me pushed up against the wall, kissing me.

He kissed me hard, the anxious and tenseness in him noticeable, but he seemed like he wanted to take full advantage of where he had me, squeezing places that if I'd been a little less overwhelmed would have had me brushing his hands away.

By the time he pulled away we were both breathing hard, and I was feeling a little dazed. I'd been woken up, told Magneto had his people coming for me, and then kissed like _that, _I was having some trouble keeping up.

He licked his lips "It was fun right?"

"The kiss?" I looked at him like he was crazy, he wanted me to tell him it was fun?

"Everything."

Everything? "Are you breaking up with me?" That's what it sounded like.

"We weren't together for me to break up with you." He reminded me as he backed up some, putting space between us.

"Oh. Well. It defiantly feels like it. Now I'm dumped and my brother is never going to talk to me again. I hadn't planned on getting so much done when I'd laid down to sleep tonight."

"What? You were planning on making me your boyfriend?" He laughed.

"Hardly." I shot back. "But you're sure as hell the only guy I've been kissing lately, and thanks to that I'm probably going to lose Otto all over again."

"What are you talking about losing him?"

"When he finds out about you he's going to be done with me."

"Stop whineing." He snapped at me.

I glared.

Otto showed up just then.

Pyro backed up even more from me.

"What the hell is going on?" My brother looked back and forth between us, looking nine kinds of pissed.

Pyro smirked arrogantly. "What's it look like?"

I shot a glare at him.

He winked at me.

I swear, one of these days I was going to seriously kill him.

"Son of-"

"Get out of here and take her with you." Pyro snapped at Otto.

"Why are you helping us?" Otto asked with suspicion. I just noticed he was bare footed, and his shaggy dark hair had a bad case of bed head.

My front door was broken down. I jerked and saw threw my open bed room door Juggernaut being followed in by two others. Otto grabbed me and we were in the another bedroom, that looked like it was at the school.

Oh, hell. We'd left John in the middle of that mess.

"Otto you've got to go back and get him out of there."

"Like hell."

"Please. He was there to warn me they were coming."

"Really?" I missed the sarcasm.

I nodded.

"Because I've got this feeling they were there _because _of him." Otto was glaring at me. "Something's going on between you two."

"No."

"Damn it don't lie to me." He shouted, and I flinched.

"I'm not."

"Yes you are." He kept control of his voice.

"Go get him." I put my foot down and _ordered_ it. Otto wasn't going to cow me into backing down.

"I'm not bringing him here."

"Fine. Just get him out of here.

A beat later Otto vanished. I sank down on to the edge of the bed behind me. It dawned on me that it was Otto's room when I noticed his boots by the bed, but there really wasn't anything personal in there.

It took about ten minutes before he came back, with a busted lip and red, scuffed knuckles.

"You had to fight Juggernaut and them?" I asked worriedly.

He snorted. "More like me and your boyfriend had a disagreement after I got him out of there."

"What? Otto! Is he okay?"

"He's fine. And so am I, thanks for asking. You're also welcomed for going to get him." He was angry and not trying to hind it. "What are you even thinking messing around with him? He could get you killed, if he didn't intend to do it himself?"

"I-"

"Are you suicidal? Is this your new way of acting out? Not getting enough attention anymore?"

"No!" I shouted it.

"Then tell me what would make you think this was okay."

"I never thought this was okay." I admitted him.

He looked confused, then carefully asked. "Did he…he didn't make you _do _anything you didn't want to, did he?"

If I said yes I'd be free and clear, but I couldn't do that to Pyro. I shook my head. "No, never."

He heaved a sigh, then raised and dropped his hands. A silence stretched out, and I stared at my bare feet. I didn't even know how to defend myself here.

Otto sat across from me in a chair that had some laundry in it. He leaned his elbows on his knees, head lowered to look at the floor too.

I glanced to my left and saw his alarm clock sitting on his dresser, two-thirty a.m.

He slowly shook his head. "I don't understand."

I didn't respond.

"Is this a way to get back at me?" He lifted his head to look at me, but I kept my eyes trained on the floor.

"Get back at you for what?" What was there to get back him for?

"I don't know. All that shit I said before? Being part of the Brotherhood? Not telling you about being a mutant? I've got a list."

"No. I wouldn't do that. What would make you think that?" I shook my head.

He raised both his eyebrows. "What would make me think that? Bell, he was my friend, and now we're enemies. You couldn't have picked a worst-" He raked a frustrated hand through his hair. "He wants me dead because I defected from his cause. Did it ever occur to you that he might be using you?"

"Yea, it had." I admitted. "But after tonight, I'm not sure that's the case."

Otto rubbed a hand over his face. "So let me get this straight, you get kidnapped by this guy, held prisoner by him, then escape him, and now you're dating him? Do I have it right?"

"It's not like it sounds. He's the one that let me go when ya'll showed up to rescue me, and I'm not dating him." Just occasionally making out with him.

"He let you go?" He raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

I nodded. "Yea."

"I didn't know that." He said quietly. "But still, that doesn't make this okay."

"Believe me, know." I sighed. "What happen tonight-"

"I know what happened tonight." He said. "Pyro told me. Magneto found out about his sneaking off to go see you." I watched him rub his thumb over his red knuckles. He was angery, but when he looked at me it was more disappointed than anything else.

I started to say something, but he cut my off. "Look it's late, just lay down and try to get some sleep. We'll deal with this in the morning."

Sleep? That was a joke. There was no way I'd be able to sleep now, but I nodded anyway.

Otto grabbed extra blankets out of his closet. "Go ahead and take the bed." He muttered as he started making a pallet on the floor.

"Thanks." I said quietly, then offered him the pillow before I straighten out the rumpled blankets on his bed and got under them, jeans and all.

I didn't think I'd be able to sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Well this one turned out longer than I had intended. Nothing too exciting, a little insight on Otto though. **

I spent hours laying in Otto's bed, staying silent in case he was trying to sleep.

That disappointed look he'd given me kept raising up in my mind over and over.

He'd been angry, thinking I was trying to get back at him for something. I mean, I had expected for him to be angry and probably a little disappointed but I hadn't expected him to be _that_ look…

I couldn't get it out of my mind.

Then there was Pyro. I was worried about him. I had no idea where Otto had taken him or how bad their fight had been. I didn't know if he was okay still or not. It was driving me nuts not knowing. He was in this mess because of me. What if the Brotherhood caught up with him? What if someone recognized him as a member of the Brotherhood and tried to tell the police or whoever? What would happen to him?

I knew what he'd tell me, _worry about yourself_, but even with all that arrogance and power he had he couldn't take on the entire Brotherhood by himself.

A small thrill went threw me as it finally dawned on me, hours later, all what this meant. He hadn't been using me.

Pyro, the mutant terrorist, who despised normal people, had in fact been interested in me_._ He hadn't been there to get back at my brother, he'd come around for me. A stupid grin spread across my face; the totally hot, totally all wrong for me that's why it's so great, guy you don't bring home had been interested in _me._

That ecstatic feeling was quickly overshadowed by everything else, and my smile faded away fast. John and I were finished before we'd ever gotten a chance.

That thought made me roll my eyes, when did I become a romantic? If Pyro knew I'd thought that he'd laugh right in my face before making a bee line for the door. Honestly, did I really think I had a real chance with him? He was this major, out of reach, badass. Guys like him didn't stick around. Even _I _knew that. He might like me, but this wasn't permanent, that much was certain. Even when he'd been sneaking off to see me he'd made sure I didn't know what his intentions were. He'd always been quick to remind me that there was no commitment between us. _There's no us._

I rolled over onto my stomach and rested my head on my arms. He'd taken some pretty big risks to come see me just to keep me at arms lengths. Things didn't add up.

Hell, the way I felt about him didn't add up. I'd get guilty or excited if his name popped up in conversation. Remembering how he irritated me got me frustrated, but thinking about the way he kissed me had me blushing.

If I pretended for just one second that maybe, and that's a very big maybe, that he was interested in something long term, was it even possible? He'd have to come to terms with me not being a mutant and accept me for it. How the hell could I expect him to do that when my own brother was having trouble with it? Otto and him hated each other, there was no way I could alienate my brother for a guy who would probably just end up leaving me anyway. But was it too late to worry about that now?

I peeked over the edge of the bed at Otto. It was too dark to see much, but I could make out his shape as he lay on his side facing away from the bed. His breathing was even, but I was fairly certain he wasn't asleep. Otto had a soft snore when he slept, nothing obnoxious or loud but he had one.

Was there a way to fix this? Would he believe how sorry I was?

I don't think it would matter how sorry I was for him finding out, because the fact is I wasn't sorry for doing it and he'd know it. I wondered if there ever be a day I was truly sorry for my time with John. Would it be the day Otto said he was finished with me? I'd faced that once before, and God, had it hurt, but I'd survived.

Sadly, remembering that I'd managed before wasn't very comforting, just made me anticipate how bad it would hurt again.

I sucked in a deep breath and let in out slowly. There was no way I was going to get any sleep.

But I've been wrong before.

Otto gently shook my shoulder.

I blinked and squinted up at him, as I realized that I'd gone to sleep.

"Hey, you need to get up." He said quietly.

I was wrapped up tightly in the blanket, my jeans feeling twisted around me, leaving me feeling uncomfortable and hot. My face was still squinted as I stared up at him.

"C'mon Bell." He tugged at the edge of the blanket.

In a zombie like state I pushed myself into a sitting position, noticing the time on the alarm clock; twelve thirty. I'd fallen asleep after the sun had started to rise, and I was feeling groggy and even more exhausted then the night before, leading me to believe my sleep hadn't been very restful.

"Hey." He caught my attention, then pushed a glass of water in my hand. "Wake up."

Waking up was always slow for me, and I blinked up at him.

"Listen to me okay?"

I looked up at him and nodded before taking a drink from the glass he'd given me.

"I spoke to Xavier."

I started chocking on the water.

"He kno-"

"You told on me?" I cut him off, not really believing it.

"If that's the way you want to see it, then yes." Otto's tone was cool.

I looked down, feeling scared. What was the Professor going to say?

"He wants to speak to you."

_Now_, I was afraid. Sure the threat of Magneto was scary, what with the narrow miss and all, but this scared me way worse. The school had been my security.

"What did he say when you talked to him?" I set the glass on the nightstand by the bed.

He shrugged. "Nothing really, he just wants to talk to you."

I was almost shaking as I pushed the blanket off and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. The hard wood's cool surface was startling on my bare feet.

"He's going to put me out." I blurted out, tears welling up. This place had become my rock. I made my living here, my friends were here. What was I going to do?

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you went along with everything." Otto said off handily.

Yea, he was probably right. I wiped at my face, not wanting to cry infront of him. When had I become such a crybaby? I thought as I stood.

He muttered something under his breath that I didn't catch as he ran a frustrated hand threw his dark hair.

"Is that what he wants to talk to me about?" I asked when I was sure my voice wouldn't shake.

He heaved a sigh. "I don't know. You ready?"

I straightened my clothes and brushed my fingers through my hair, trying to make myself presentable, before nodding.

Otto offered me his hand, silently asking me to allow him to teleport us.

Just what I wanted to do, rush right into it. Not.

I accepted his out stretched hand and a heartbeat later we were in the Professor's office.

It was just the Professor and us, with him behind his desk, grave expression etched onto his face.

Otto disappeared from my side at the Professor's nod. Great all alone.

"Hi." I greeted nervously.

"Hello Bell." He indicated I should sit at one of the chairs in front of his desk.

I took the seat, feeling stiff and awkward, much like the first time I came here.

The Professor was studying me, and I got the impression he was in my head. I wished I knew for sure though.

"There are not many times that that something has happened without me having some idea of its coming."

"It's rare that I'm caught off guard in that way." He stated. "But you have certainly done it this time."

I just sat there, wondering how bad this was going to get.

"I am very surprised to discover that it's Pyro. He was very set in his beliefs. I was never able to get through to him to change his mind." He thought for a second. "Maybe not as surprising as it seems, when one remembers he let you go." The look on his face was knowing and made me want to crawl under my chair.

"I'll admit that I have conflicting feelings on the matter. You risked your safety, opened an opportunity to be used against your brother and the rest of us here." He paused. "However, I do see this as a sign of hope. Pyro may begin to rethink his opinion of mankind."

I decided now was the time to add something. "I wasn't trying to cause trouble." No one ever accused me of being articulate. I wanted to explain, tell him how this had happened, but I wasn't sure myself.

"I understand." And I think he might really. "I want to warn you that we are going to try to find Pyro and offer him help. I was hoping that you would aid us in this. I think he'd be inclined to accept if it were coming from you."

I gaped at him. Did this mean I wasn't getting the boot? "Yea. I could help with that."

"Good." He gave me a smile. "And I think it would be wise if you stayed here for the time being until things are worked out. I'm sure Rogue wouldn't mind sharing her room with you."

Oh! I wasn't getting kicked out! I nodded, so glad this wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The Professor was going to find Pyro and bring him here. Everyone would be safe…and Otto. Crap. He wasn't going to be happy about this. If there was a chance we could work this out, it wasn't with Pyro here.

"Bell." The Professor caught my attention. "I believe you underestimate your brother's attachment to you."

Both my eyebrows shot up. "Attachment?" I asked, little confused.

"Yes." The Professor nodded. "Normally I do not interfere in personal matters such as these, I feel it is for the best that people work them out for themselves but…" He gave a weary sigh. "I feel it would benefit both of you if you understood where the other is coming from."

I frowned a little confused. What could he know about Otto that I didn't?

"Quite a bit actually." He answered.

My face went red from embarrassment.

"I asked your brother to be a part of my team because of his obvious talents and the potential I saw in him. Otto is very intelligent and very gifted, unfortunately Magneto found him when he was vulnerable. From what I've gathered from hit thoughts, Magneto found him only a few weeks after he left home, and in order to sway him to the Brotherhood, showed him all the inhuman things done to our kind. Otto has a rather divers set of gifts that Magneto saw as very useful."

Set? Like more than one? Did I miss something? Did Otto have more than one power?

Either the Professor wasn't listening in on my thoughts or he chose to ignore my questions. "They went on rescue missions to free mutants that were being tested on in secret. Your brother witnessed some truly gruesome sights, things that are too horrific for most to comprehend." A beat. "Your brother was homeless, and facing things straight from his own worse nightmares in those labs, but Magneto gave him shelter, offered a kind of family with the Brotherhood, and a chance to right the wrongs being committed to our kind. He used Otto's vulnerabilities against him."

I looked down at my hands, guilty and upset. That explained a lot about the changes in him.

"By the time we meet he had a strong hatred for mankind, that was very much real, and that was based completely from experience. So when he came here asking for help to rescue you from the Brotherhood, I was very surprised."

Yea, I had been too, even more so now that I was hearing this.

"I was advised not to allow him to help with your rescue, I was also advised not to offer him a position with the X-Men. However, he had been determined to get you to safety, and it made me believe there was still hope for the young man. I tested that theory when I asked him to stay on with us. He doggedly refused. I warned him that the Brotherhood would be looking for him; I offered to give him protection and shelter and to help develop his powers; all things that he needed and he still refused. I told him that the Brotherhood could still have an interest in you and he relented."

This wasn't making me feel any better. I'd just went and ruined everything.

"You may not be the reason for his leaving the Brotherhood, but you are his reason for being here, he wanted to make sure you were safe. Like I said, very surprising coming from a mutant who felt the way he did when he first came to our door. And for the animosity between John and him, that has to be worked out between them. But at the moment, he's feelings aren't not about the finial. He's feeling betrayed by you because there is a history between him and John. He has a healthy dose of big brother syndrome that I don't need to explain, and a large amount of guilt. He blames himself for the two of you ever meeting."

Otto had always been the protective big brother, the heighten aggression was the only thing new there. But betrayed? I hadn't thought of it that way. And the guilt…this wasn't his fault.

"Why tell me all this?" I asked quietly.

"Because I realize how difficult he can be."

I snorted before I could think better of it.

"And I was hoping that you won't give up on him."

Give up on him? If I was going to do that, then I would have done it when he'd left. But then again, it did feel like I was beating my head against a wall with him at times.

An amused glint came to the Professor's eyes, like he'd heard what I had thought. "Sometimes it does seem that way."

I smiled a little, feeling worlds better about the situation. I was beginning to realize the Professor was an amazing person, understanding in a way I couldn't ever hope to be.

"I'll start searching for John immediately, in the mean time perhaps you should go collect some things from your apartment. I'm sure Rogue and Gambit would be willing to provide a little more security and accompany you and Otto."

There was a quick knock at the door and in came Rogue followed by Gambit, not even a second later Otto popped in. I'd say they all had great timing, but I knew it was only because of the Professor. I wasn't going to get a chance to think about all of what I'd learned.

Rogue raised her eyebrows and smiled a little, like she knew what was going on, but the expression faded when she caught a look at Otto. He had a neutral expression, the same one he'd been giving me for months up until recently.

I stood up, and looked at him; definitely seeing him in a new light. I'd talk to him about it, or try to. I might have to super glue my hand to him or something to keep him from just disappearing on me.

_Good luck with that._

My head snapped around to look at the Professor, and narrowed my eyes on him. He didn't acknowledge me.

Otto held his hands out to Rogue and me, Gambit grabbed Rogues other hand, and a split second after we accepted we were standing in my apartment…or what was left of it.

My trashed apartment.

I gaped at the demolished…everything around me. My TV was busted in, the couch was shredded, lamps broken, my book bag had been emptied and the books torn to pieces all over the floor. Nothing had been left untouched there was broken glass everywhere, and refrigerator's door was ripped off the hinges, and I counted two holes in the walls and a broken window.

Gambit let out a low whistle.

I was _pissed_.

I stomped off into my bedroom to find it had been destroyed too. Clothes were thrown everywhere; my mattress looked like the couch. There were feathers everywhere from my pillows. Dresser drawers had been thrown across the room. My clothes lay in pieces, the mirror over my dresser had been smashed in to a million little shards that reflected my image back at me.

My fists were clenched at my sides as I heard Rogue telling Gambit to follow her and the door opened and closed as they left.

I heard Otto behind me when glass crunched under his boot.

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

"I worked for all of this." I growled it, and felt like Logan. I took a deep breath and used a more normal tone before I continued. "None of this was just given to me. I had to work and save for everything." That made this some much more personal. I was going to have to start over. Again.

"At least you're alive." He reminded me with a muttered as he surveyed the mess.

Yea, thanks to Pyro. I just hoped he was okay and the Professor found him soon.

"It doesn't look like there's anything worth keeping here. Let's just get the others and go."

"I need to get some clothes." I mumbled, wondering if there were any left whole.

I started looking and Otto pitched in and helped. With both of our efforts. I had a couple pairs of underwear, and two t-shirts. The rest were useless.

"I don't even have clothes." I grumbled as I bunched up what I found and shoved them into a plastic grocery bag that Otto had found for me. Had they really needed to destroy my clothes?

"You can get more." He said.

"Yea, I'll just go do that with my abundant funds." My anger had calmed and I was in full self pity mode.

"I'll buy them if you just stop whining." He said as he uselessly tried to dust feathers off of himself.

"Funny. You don't have a job."

He rolled his eyes at me. "Don't need one."

I ignored the comment as I found something even better than a piece of clothing still whole, my picture box. I picked up the old tin box that I'd brought with me from home, not at all surprised that it hadn't opened up when it had been thrown across the room, the lid had always stuck, something I was now very thankful for. I shook it, and was glad that it sounded full still. They probably hadn't paid attention to the ugly old thing when they had run across it, and I was thankful. It was packed full of old pictures and tiny souvenirs from home. I carefully put it in the bag with the clothes.

Gambit and Rogue came back just then.

"We went to check on your car." She said, and by the look on her face I knew it wasn't good. "They trashed it too."

"I spoke with the land lady, she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary." Gambit took a drag off the cigarette he had as he looked around. "Not much left is there?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

"We ready to go then?" Gambit asked, not unsympathetically.

Otto looked over at me and I nodded, and this time he didn't touch _any_of us to teleport us back to the school.

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated. **


	14. Chapter 14

"So you weren't kidding about not having to touch people, huh?" I was surprised, and I know Rogue and Gambit had been too. I hadn't missed the measuring look Gambit had given my brother before following Rogue out.

"That was on accident." He looked a little uncomfortable, I was beginning to realize he got that way when I tried to talk about his powers with him.

"Still. I'm impressed."Then again, it didn't take much to impress me.

He didn't say anything, and I fell instep with him even though I didn't know where he was heading.

"So, I'm not sure if I understood the Professor earlier." I paused, trying to figure out the best words to use."But he kind of made it sound like you have more than one power, in fact he used the word 'set.'"

Otto shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, but didn't say anything.

"I guess, what I'm asking is _do_ you have more than one?" Would he even tell me if he did?

"Why does it matter?" He countered.

I started to back down. "It doesn't. I was just curious. I guess it's really not my business."

He sighed.

"Sorry." I muttered. If this wasn't during our problems with Pyro, I'd have kept pushing, but as it was I didn't want to go too far.

"I do." He finally said.

"Oh." I was surprised. "Really?"

"Yea." He nodded, still looking straight ahead.

"What is it?" I asked tentatively.

"Look, it's not anything impressive."

"But what is it though?"

He didn't want to answer, it was all over his face. "I know when people are lying."

"You know when people are lying?" I said slowly.

"Yea, not impressive, now just forget about it."

Seriously? He'd known every time I've lied? "So you're telling me that you knew when I've lied?"

"Yes."

"Otto," I pulled him to a stop with me. "You knew that I lied about Pyro?"

He stared straight at me. "Yea."

I felt even guiltier about it now, but why had he just let it go on? "And you knew back at that diner in New York City that I wasn't lying about why I was there? You argued with me and said all those things knowing I was telling you the truth?" I felt sucker punched.

"I wanted you to go home." He replied. "I didn't want you here."

"That's not your choice." I was tired of hearing what I should or shouldn't do because I wasn't a mutant. "I'm not a child for you to-"

"Don't get mad, okay? I didn't want you noticed by the Brotherhood anymore than you already had." He shrugged then added. "I knew you were telling me the truth then, I knew you were lying about not seeing Pyro."

"Why'd you let that go?"

"Honestly? I thought you'd just seen him out on the street or something and were trying to come off as independent and not need me to help, I didn't for a second think you were, you know, with him."

"Oh." I couldn't think of another response. I started walking down the hall again and he followed. "I guess, I've turned out kind of disappointing huh?" I mean it could be blamed on the luck of the draw on Otto being a mutant and it not being his fault, but I'd made the choice with Pyro.

"I didn't say that." He said. "But your taste in guys has always sucked."

I scoffed, still in my self pity mode. My stuff had been destroyed, Magneto had sent his men in to kill me, and I'd just learned that my brother knew every lie that came out of my mouth.

"Yea, I bet Mama and Daddy would just be so proud of me." I muttered.

Otto snorted. "So what if they aren't?"

I knew Otto didn't feel the same way I did about our parents. "Why don't you hate me like you do them?"

He shrugged. "I don't know."

"Oh, that's nice." I rolled my eyes, but let it go at that. "So are you still angry about Pyro?"

"You really want to go there?" He asked in all seriousness.

I sighed. "Not really I guess, but look, I didn't do this to hurt you. Hell, I'm not really sure of how it started, or if it's really anything."

"That's a lot of uncertainty for something that almost got you killed last night." He pointed out.

Tell me about it. "I guess I kind of screwed up." Had I? Nothing was certain with John, that was the only sure thing I knew.

"Look, I'm beyond pissed about this, but it's mostly with Pyro. With you I'm more disappointed. You're smarter than this."

I just looked at him, and kind of bobbed my head, not feeling so smart. All things considered he was handling this much better than I'd thought he would. He hadn't actually forsaken me, or killed Pyro.

"Hey," he bumped his elbow with mine. "I'm no one to talk though, huh? I haven't been making a lot of great choices lately."

I wanted to tell him I understood about that now, that Magneto had manipulated him, but I wasn't sure how to, so instead I asked: "Why don't you seem like you want people to know about the lying thing?"

He shrugged. "Other people find it more useful than I do."

I frowned. "How?"

"Interrogations."

"Oh. Magneto?"

He nodded.

Yea, I bet old bucket head had found that useful. I wished I could figure out how to talk to him about what the Professor had told me, but I couldn't come up with a way to start.

We stopped at Rogue's door.

"How long did you have this second power?"

"Uh…" He rubbed the back of his neck, and I saw a couple of girls walking past, behind him, turn to get a better look at my brother. Did he not even realize that he was considered major eye candy to the girls at this school? My brother, the oblivious.

"I'm not sure, but my guess is when the teleporting started."

Both my eyebrows shot up. "How can you not know?" Wouldn't it be obvious?

"It's not the most obvious thing in the world. When someone lies I get a tingling in my palms. Sounds crazy right?" He looked down at his own hands, holding them face up. His knuckles were still scuffed up from his fight with Pyro. "It was much later when I figured it out."

"How would you even know to put tingly palms and lying together?" I laughed.

He leaned against the wall next to Rogues door, even if I disregarded Rogues feelings on letting someone in her room without her knowing, Otto wouldn't ever go in. Boys didn't go in girls rooms, was what my Daddy and Mama had always preached.

"Actually. I don't think I would have ever figured it out if it were for you."

"Me?" I raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Yea, usually you'd tell Mama one thing then tell me the truth later. I started noticing that when I heard you telling Mama something I knew was a lie, my hands started getting a numb tingle in them. When I started to pay attention to it, I figure it out."

"Wow." I shook my head.

"Yea, I let you get away with a lot of stuff." He smirked.

"Yes, you did." That was the truth. "But why? It's not like you could relate. You never got into trouble."

He shrugged. "I don't know. You told me the truth and you weren't doing anything that would get anyone hurt. Usually." He shot me a pointed look with the last word. "I guess that was enough."

I smiled, thinking about some of the stupid stuff I used to do. "No one ever got hurt so bad that they couldn't walk it off."

He rolled his eyes. "Yea, whatever. Just don't tell anyone else okay"

"I won't- I promise. But that is probably one of the werieder gifts I've heard of." I laughed.

He shook his head. "Yea, tell me about it. Go ahead in and I'll met up with you later okay?"

I nodded.

"Try to get some more sleep, you look rough."

"Gee, thanks." I said with sarcasm. Leave it to your brother to tell you the truth.

"Well…" He shrugged then pushed away from the wall.

He left a moment later and I headed into Rogue's room to crash on her extra bed. I was so surprised by how calm Otto was being now. Last night I thought he was going to be ready to stop talking to me all together, but that didn't seem like the case. Would he continue to be this calm about it after Pyro was here?

I laid down and wondered what was happening with Pyro. I prayed he was alright, and that the Professor could find him quickly.

I was asleep in no time, but Rogue's coming in startled me back awake.

"Sorry." She said when she saw me.

"It's fine." I yawned and sat up.

She kicked off her shoes and sat on her bed. "So." The word stretched out.

I knew what she was about to ask.

"About John…"

I played dumb. "What about him?"

"What you mean 'what about him'?" She had a half smile on her face. "I can't believe your messing around with him."

"Who said I was?" How had she found out?

"No one came right out and said it exactly. But this morning, Otto came barging into the Professor's office while I was in there. Then your stuff is trashed because of the Brotherhood, and the Professor's looking for Pyro."

"But none of that means I'm messing around with him." I pointed out.

"No, but you blushing like that says it does." She smirked.

My already red face turned hotter.

She shook her head smiling. "I can't believe it."

"You don't seem mad about it." I pointed out.

"No. I'm glad Pyro isn't as hardcore Brotherhood as we all thought."

Ha. Me too.

"So how'd it happen?" She asked.

I shrugged. "I have to clue." I admitted.

"Oh, c'mon, you've got to have some idea. Has he kissed you?"

"Jeez Rogue!" I laughed, slightly embarrassed.

"I tell you about Gambit and me." She said.

"No you don't."

"Fine, I will if you go first."

"Why do you want to know so much?"

"Because I can't believe Pyro has been sneaking around with _you_."

"What's wrong with me?" I asked, with false offense.

"Nothing, but you're not his type. Not by a long shot."

"Oh, I know I know, I'm not mutant." I rolled my eyes.

"Well yea, that's the most obvious, but he liked tough girls, you know bad girls, and you are not that."

He'd liked girls like him, I thought. I wasn't like him. "You're going to make me self-conscious."

"Don't, but seriously, how did all this start? Did you start seeing each other after we rescued you or something? Were you to friendly before we came and got you?" She grinned.

"I don't know." I said honestly. "I didn't think so until he let me go and then I thought he was just being a good guy, but then he kissed me and then-"

"What a minute." Rogue held up a hand. "He _let _you go? You mean when we were there to get you he just let you go?"

"Yea."

"Then he kissed you?"

I nodded.

"And you don't know how this started?" She gave me a disbelieving look.

"Look, I didn't see him for months after that. I knew _I_ had a little Stockholm syndrome crush, but I wasn't going to tell anyone that, but then he just shows up at my apartment out of the blue. At first I thought he was there to kidnap me again."

"You didn't tell me any of this?"

"I was terrified of someone finding out, especially Otto." I started to ramble. "Pyro was coming to see me ever so often. Then Otto and I were starting to work things out. I was so guilty feeling all the time. I thought Pyro might try to use me to get to Otto, you know, seduce me or something, and stupid me, it was working. But then Magneto found out about Pyro coming to see me, then he shows up and my brother comes in and the rest you pretty much already know."

She was smiling again, shaking her head. "I still can't believe you and Pyro."

I rolled my eyes. "There is no 'me and Pyro.'"

"Please." She scoffed. "So Otto didn't freak out or anything?"

"Yea, kind of. But you know? I was expecting a lot worse from him, I mean he totally started in on me, after I made him go back and get Pyro out of there so he wouldn't get killed and I think they got into a fight, but honestly it really wasn't that bad. He said he was mostly angry with Pyro, but really disappointed in me." And in a way that was way worse than his being angry, but I didn't tell her that.

"I'm surprised." She said. "When he came into the Professors' office this morning he looked ready for murder."

I shrugged as I pulled the tin box of pictures out of my bag and then popped the top on it. "I guess maybe the Professor talked him down." The older man seemed to have a gift for understanding people and knowing just what to say.

"He must have." She agreed.

I started flipping through the old pictures of faces and people I hadn't seen in what felt like a life time ago. I pulled out one of Otto and studied it. I could remember the day it was taken, the day after Christmas, with weather warm enough we could wear t-shirts. The differences were so apparent. My brother was broader, taller and leaner now, making him look harder, but in the picture his face had been fuller, making him look boyish. The easy-going smile on his face made him look _approachable_, something he didn't ever look anymore.

"What's that?"

I passed the picture over to Rogue, and watched her eyebrows go up. "Wow."

"I know." I said.

"He doesn't even look like the same guy. He actually looks friendly, and young. How old was he when this was taken?"

"That was the last Christmas he was home for. So about eighteen."

She passed it back. "Do you have any of you?" She asked.

"Yea, why?" I started looking for her.

"I just want to see." She moved over to my bed and we sat crossed legged across from each other.

"Here's one." I passed her it to her; it was of me and a group of my girlfriends from high school.

She started laughing.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Somehow I knew you were one of the popular girls at your high school."

"How can you know that by just looking at that picture?"

"Because look at ya'll." She shoved it at me. "You're all pretty and all look prissy and girly and kind of bitchy."

I squinted at it. "I do not look bitchy."

"In the picture." She corrected me.

"You think I'm pretty?" I asked with a laugh, teasing.

She rolled her eyes and threw the picture at me. "Get over yourself."

"But really, I don't look bitchy." I looked hard at the picture. "Kelly does, but she was one." I said referring to the blonde on my right in the picture.

"Like I said, not Pyro's usual type."

"What? Because I was popular? That's-"

"If you say it wasn't your fault you were popular I will hit you."

I narrowed my eyes at her, then shrugged. "Yea, you're right, I had to work at it. But at least I don't pretend to be all badass."

I flipped through the pictures and showed her some of my Mom and Dad, my Aunts and Uncles, and cousins. There were some of my friends mixed in and a couple Otto's, but mostly there was just Lance, his best friend from home, I even missed him even though we'd never gotten along.

While Rogue was great company, her words about me not being Pyro's type kept coming back to me. I hadn't really given that kind of thing much thought before, and now I was wondering if it would have some affect on what would happen between him and me. Would I not be what he'd want? I already had the problem of not being a mutant in his eyes, would he hold not being 'tough', as Rogue put it, against me to?


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, hopefully this chapter picks up the pace some.**

The next morning the Professor pulled us into his office to let us know he had found Pyro. Then he told Otto that it would be best if Otto didn't accompany me to get Pyro, and that augment lasted a good twenty minutes, even after the Professor had assured Otto that Rogue would be coming with me.

Once we got past that though, he told Rogue and me where we could find Pyro, a place that was about a two hour drive west from the school. Otto didn't let me leave without promising that at the first hint of trouble to call. When I asked him what good it would do -- he'd been the one to tell me that he couldn't teleport somewhere he hadn't already been, and he hadn't been to where the Professor said Pryo was -- he told me that he could teleport into the car we were taking.

It was a run down motel on the outskirts of a town. Honestly, it looked like the kind that had the option of charging by the hour, if you get what I mean. Rogue and I shared a look, this was seedy looking to the max.

The Professor hadn't been able to give us an exact room number, but he'd been sure about the place, so Rogue and I headed into the main building to find out what room.

The woman behind the desk had too much make-up on and her hair was an unnatural shade of red. She smacked her gum the whole time we tried to talk to her, and let us know that what she thought of our 'junkie' friend. However, we got the room number from her. Room 203.

_Junkie?_ Rogue mouthed with a raised eyebrow as we left the main building.

I just gave her a shrug. "You going with me to talk to him?"

"No, not in less you want me too."

"It doesn't' matter." I shrugged. A part of me didn't want her to, because I was selfish and wanted to have Pyro to myself for a couple of minutes, and another part of me wanted her to come because I didn't want to be by myself with just him in the after math of what had happened.

"Okay, I'm going to be down here in the car. I can see that room from there okay? If anything happens just yell."

I nodded then climbed the metal stairs to the second floor and went down three doors to the room marked 203. I raised my fist to knock on the orange door, and hesitated for the briefest of seconds before steeling myself and doing it.

There was no answer, and I strained my ears to hear any movement behind the door, but all was quiet. I tried the knob, but it was locked. "John." I leaned in close to whisper it, then glanced around to see if anyone was around to repeat it louder. "John."

It took about two seconds for him to unlock the door, pull me in, then lock it back.

"Ouch!" I rubbed at my shoulder. "You nearly yanked my arm out." I squinted at him trying to see him; it was hard to see anything because the lights were off and the black curtains were drawn.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He snapped. "Were you followed?"

"No."

"Like you'd even know if you had been or not."

"Then why ask me?" I shot back.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed? Or just me?" He asked with pure sarcasm.

I rolled my eyes, wishing he could see me doing it but it was too dark to. "You know, it's no wonder the lady at the front desk thought you were a junkie, it's so dark in here and you're so nervy acting anyone would have thought that."

"What? Who said that? I'm not nervy."

"Sorry, more like paranoid."

He started to say something, but I cut him off. "Can we turn the light on please?" I flipped the switch before he could answer. "Look, I'm here to get you, okay?" For once I got to play the hero. "The Professor said you could come to the school."

"Go back there? Fuck that."

I narrowed my eyes on him. "Okay then, what's your grand plan to keep the Brotherhood from finding you?"

"I'm working on it." He glared at me.

"What if they catch up with you before you figure it out? Just come work on it back at the school. It's an improvement to here." I gestured at the sorry looking room.

"Sorry if it offense you delicate senses." He sneered.

I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not going back." He reiterated.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I'm not."

"Is it because of Otto?"

"No."

"Me?"

"You're the whole reason I'm even in this mess." He snapped from out of no where.

"What!?!" The hell he didn't just blame this on me.

"Yea." He nodded, hair falling in his eyes.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." I held my hands up, then put them on my hips. "Tell me how this is my fault."

"If it weren't for you I wouldn't have had anything to hind from Magneto. I should have never met you."

"Um, as I recall, it was _you _who kidnapped _me._ How is our meeting my fault? Answer me that. Oh, and while your at it, tell me when I invited you to my apartment. I don't remember ever calling you up and being like," I held my hand up to my face like I was talking on a phone and used a bouncy, happy voice to say, "'Hey Pyro, remember me, the chick you kidnapped? I was just wondering if you wanted to stop by and make out some.'" I dropped my hand, and went back to my normal tone. "Just how the hell is this my fault?"

"It just is." He snapped.

I threw my hands up in the air. "Fine. Whatever. It can be my fault, just come back to the school with me, so that way it can be my fault some more."

"No."

"John." My tone was half pleading, half whine.

"Do not whine." He pointed at me.

"Just come with me."

"Why does it matter so much?" He finally asked.

I opened my mouth and closed it trying to figure out a way to answer, but came up kind of short. How did I say I didn't want to see anything happen to him, that I was really, _really_ starting to care for him, without scaring him off and not accepting our help? I just couldn't that's how, so I gave him something else, "I guess, it's the same reason you saved me the night before."

He looked away, but I saw his face anyway and I think maybe that was close enough to the right answer.

"If you're worried about the others, don't okay? You need to be somewhere safe while you figure out what you're doing, and you know the Professor will give you that."

"It's so easy for you to say that, you didn't walkout on them."

I sighed. "John, you know better than anyone that you're not going to be able to hide from them for ever. It's either swallow your pride or die with it." I held his gaze. "I don't want you dead John."

He rake a hand throw his hair. "Fine."

My eyes got big. "Really?" I smiled, but he ignored me and grabbed his jacket.

"Rogues waiting by the car." I let him know before he opened the door up.

To say it was a nice ride back would be a lie. It was flat out uncomfortable. Pyro had no problem letting us know he wasn't happy about this, and I swear he was trying to pick fights. Rogue, being the saint she is, ignored it. Me on the other hand, I slammed my seat back into his knees.

"Enough." Rogue snapped loudly at both of us, when I started to protest as Pyro tried to move my seat back up from the back seat.

We both paused and looked at her. She was shooting glares at us, while trying to watch the road.

I felt embarrassed, as I realized the way I was acting.

"Sit back. I'll move up." I muttered to Pyro, who had leaned forward between Rogue and me, and was trying to reach under my seat to the lever to move me up.

He turned his head from Rogue to me, then smirked, because we both realized he was eye level from my chest and only a couple inches way, with his arm between my knees from where he'd been trying to get the lever.

Rogue hit a bad pot hole and the car bounced. And just guess where his face ended up? I shoved him back, but the damage was done and he was grinning with a very wicked gleam in his eyes as he sat back.

_Child_. I rolled my eyes as I leaned forward and pulled the seat up.

The rest of the ride was quiet, none of us talking, no radio, only the noise from the inside came from Pyro playing with his Zippo.

When we finally made it back to the school, we headed up to the Professor's office. Bobby Drake and Ms. Monroe was there waiting with the Professor for us. Bobby, Rogue, and I were asked to leave so that Ms. Monroe and the Professor could talk to Pyro.

Bobby shot us a nasty glare, but headed in the opposite direction after we were out in the hall.

Jean, walked past us, straight for the Professor's office. She flashed Rogue a distracted smile as she went. As it turns out, we'd later find, it was to warn the Professor away from helping Pyro. The Brotherhood wanted him, and they wanted the Professor to keep his hands off.

Too late.

I hunted Otto down in the library, Kurt was thankfully running it for the day for me. I talked with the both of them, letting them know that we had gotten Pyro, and there had been no incident.

Kurt was thrilled that everything had gone smoothly, and I suspect Otto was too, but just wasn't happy to have Pyro here. A couple of kids came and needed help finding books for research and had to Kurt went off to help.

Otto walked to the kitchen with me, and we found Rogue there. I was surprised when he sat down with us, usually he didn't stick around, still not comfortable with being friendly with the others. Hell, I don't think he was completely comfortable being around me at times. I was more then glad when Rogue shot him a quick smile and involved him in the conversation and he didn't shut down.

I was half way through a sandwich when a crash sounded from the other room, Rogue and Otto were on their feet in an instance and I jumped up and followed them out the room.

Pyro and Bobby were going at…at least I think it was Bobby…it looked like an ice sculpture, and since I didn't know anyone else with that possibility and a strong dislike for Pyro I assumed it was him.

There were patches of ice everywhere, and Pyro had a ball of flames at the ready.

Some student had gathered, peeking around corners to watch.

I was stunned to watch Bobby move forward to attack Pyro, and Pyro raised his hand with the flames. Otto flashed in front of Bobby, who slammed into my brother, and tried to get around him, put Otto had a hold of him.

"Move Shadow." Pyro glared at my brother.

Otto glanced back at Pryo as he tried to keep a hold of Bobby. "Back down Pyro."

The flames got bigger, brighter, and hotter in Pyro's hand.

"I'm going to get help." Rogue said, running up the stairs as fast as she could.

That was probably a good idea since it didn't look like Otto was going to be able to keep a hold of Bobby much longer. Bobby landed a solid punch to Otto side, that made me wince. Otto grunted, then twisted Bobby's arm behind his back at an angle that looked painful, but Bobby was just hell bent on getting away.

"Just teleport him out." I was staying out of the way.

"I can't." Otto gritted out.

Pyro smirked. "Good, I can take care of you both right now."

I jumped in front of Pyro without thinking. "Not my brother. Don't you hurt him." _I'll hurt you if you do._

Pyro paused staring down at me. His lip was busted, and he was breathing heavily, looking angry.

If he threw that fire ball, he'd get me too, and that scared the hell out of me, but I wasn't leaving my brother on his own. I was depending on Pyro to do the right thing here, because Bobby obviously wasn't going to.

The flames died away and Pyro dropped his hand, still keeping eye contact with me; some of the anger fading away with the fire.

"Thank you." I said quietly so only he heard it.

"You can make it up to me later." He said just as quietly.

I narrowed my eyes on him, just imagining what he had in mind.

Ms. Monroe came running up, with Rogue and Dr. McCoy behind her. One look at the situation and she was narrowing her eyes on Bobby who was still trying to shake Otto off.

"Bobby." She walked up to him, and Bobby stopped in his struggle. "Let him go." She ordered Otto, who reacted immediately.

I have to give Ms. Monroe credit. She was small and super nice, but she was fierce, and didn't look the least bit intimidated as she glared at the three boys.

Beast was keeping an eye on Pyro, who was smirking again.

"Bobby, you need to come with me." Ms. Monroe gestured for him to head up the stairs on the right.

Bobby shot a nasty glare toward Pyro as he went.

I was shocked at the change in Bobby, this was nothing like the young man who had picked me up on my second visit to the school. He was so angry over this.

After Bobby and Ms. Monroe were gone, Dr. McCoy looked around at the students. "It's over now. Go about your day." As the kids started to move along, he turned to us. "Would you mind giving Pyro and me a moment alone?" It really wasn't a request, and I was followed back to the kitchen by my brother and Rogue.

Otto sighed heavily as he sat down at the table next to me; Rogue sat across from us.

"Have they always been like this?" He asked her.

"No." She slowly shook her head. "Nothing like this." She looked just as shocked as I was feeling.

Otto shook his head, rubbing his side, where Bobby had hit him.

"Are you alright? He didn't break a rib or something did he?" I frowned in concern.

"No, I'm fine. Just sore." He dropped his hand.

"Why couldn't you teleport him out of there?"

"He was struggling, and it was making it impossible to concentrate." Otto explained.

And to think yesterday he'd teleported three people along with him without even touch anyone and without meaning too.

I couldn't believe Pyro had only been in the school for not even a full hour and already a fight had broken out. I wondered who had started it? Bobby had always seemed like a level headed person, and I knew Pyro could push buttons, but some how I didn't think that it was just Pyro who was at fault for the fight. Or was that just wishful thinking?

After about a little while I went looking for Pyro, wanting to check on him. I knocked on the door of the room they'd given him, but he didn't answer. I figured since the door was locked, that he was either ignoring me or trying to get some sleep. I chose to believe he was resting, since I doubted he'd gotten much the last couple of nights.

I left with the plan of cornering him later.

**A/N: Hopefully you enjoyed it, now just leave a review, pretty please. **


	16. Chapter 16

**I'm sorry I took so long to update, but finals are over now so I should be able to pick up the pace again. I debated waiting to update, to make this a longer chapter, but I didn't want anyone to think I had abandoned the story so I chose to keep it short. **

Even though I had wanted to wake up the next day and find Pyro, I couldn't. I still had to run the library. I was kept busy, but still watched the clock, which wanted to creepy slowly by.

"John?" I knocked on his bed room door after I'd gotten off.

"What?"

I jumped, startled, and turned around to find him behind me.

"I was looking for you." I said lamely.

"What for?"

"I just wanted to check on you."

His eyebrows shot up. "Check on me?"

I shrugged. "I came by yesterday, but I guess you were sleeping."

"Yea, I crashed." He opened the door to his room, then gestured for me to follow him in.

I closed the door quietly behind me. "Are things going okay?"

"You mean have I gotten in another fight?"

"No. Kind of…I guess. Have you?"

He snorted, but didn't answer me, as he turned away.

"Hey." I reached out and pulled him back around. "I'm just trying to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine." He was snappish and glaring at me. "I'm exactly where you wanted me remember?"

"What?" I swear I had trouble keeping up with him at times.

"Here. At this school again." He looked defensive and angry as he held his arms out, gesturing at the room. "This is what you wanted right?"

"Look, I know it's not ideal, but I wanted you safe. Things will get better."

"For you maybe. You're not left with absolutely nothing."

I shook my head and changed the topic. "How did Magneto even find out?"

"I'm not sure exactly. I think someone followed me last time."

"Oh." What a nice thought. "Then why'd they wait to come knocking?"

"Magneto wanted me to take advantage of the situation."

"How so?" I frowned.

He shrugged. "To use you to get to Shadow."

"Why were you lying to me then? Why'd you make me think you were there to use me?"

"Because I was." He said with a straight face.

"Wait. What? But you just said..."

"I wanted back at Shadow and you were the only way to do that." He explained.

"So, you just have been using me?" I gaped at him. Shocked that he'd come right out and say it like that, I was hurt.

"No. Yea. I mean-" He was struggling for an answer.

I left sick. How stupid could I seriously be? Tears stung my eyes.

"Don't you dare cry." He pointed a finger at me, like he could command me not to and I wouldn't.

"You could have skipped kissing me and the stupid flirting." I snapped.

"I'm in all of this shit for a homo sapien." He sounded disgusted.

"Yea, well I almost got killed for a mutant terrorist." I shot back, but it lacked any heat. I wiped under my eyes, hating that we were fighting. It seemed like that's all we did.

"Bell." He reached out, obviously changing tactics with me, but I pushed his hand away. "Listen to me." He stepped closer but didn't try to touch me again.

"What for?"

He glared at me, irritated with my come back. "I changed my mind. I didn't want to do it. Do you really think I'd have gotten into all of this just to hurt your brother? If that's what it had all been about I would have done what Magneto wanted. Instead I'm back at this damn school, dodging punches from Iceman."

"I don't know what to think. It's not like you give me a straight answer. The whole time I was just waiting for everything to blow up in my face." I wiped at my face again, trying to keep myself together and failing miserably.

"Don't." He reached out again, but hesitated to touch me. "Don't do that." He pulled me close.

I tensed, but after a moment relaxed. "I don't even know what's going on between us."

"Makes two of us." He muttered.

"Maybe we should just stop." That was probably the last thing I wanted.

"Are you breaking up with me now?" There was amassment in his voice.

Did he take anything seriously? "Thought we weren't together." I reminded him.

"Yea, well…" He trailed off. "Just don't cry."

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"It makes fighting with you no fun."

I rolled my eyes, but was sidetracked from saying anything when I felt his lips on my neck.

"You're kidding right?" I muttered when I remembered myself.

"Mmmm?" He didn't even move his mouth from me.

"You really think that you're going to get say stuff like that and then just start kissing me?" He didn't didn't have to know I was all for forgive and forget when he started kissing me, I just didn't want him to think that.

"I'm doing it aren't I?" He said right against my ear.

Somehow that was the most buzz kill thing he could have said. I opened my eyes, that I hadn't even realized I'd closed, and then narrowed them on him as I pulled back.

Pyro smirked down at me then glared at the door when a knock sounded, but made no move to answer it.

"You're not going to see who's out there?" I pitched my voice low so it wouldn't be heard.

He shrugged then dropped down on his bed, playing with his lighter. "They'll go away."

"Nice." I replied. "Is that what you did to me yesterday when I came by?" I raised a half amused eyebrow.

All I got was a slow grin.

The knocking stated up again, this time louder.

I glanced at it, wondering who it was. It's not like Pyro has a bunch of friends at the school.

The knocking paused, then started up again. "I know you're in there John." Bobby Drake's voice came from the other side.

I glanced at Pyro to find him glaring at the door again.

Maybe it was a good idea he wasn't going to open it up.

"I know your girlfriend is in there too." Bobby said. "I bet Shadow would like to know about it."

_Really Bobby? _I shook my head at how low Bobby was sinking with that.

Pyro was on his feet and at the door before I could stop him, jerking the thing open.

Bobby Drake was on standing outside in the hall, and it looked like he had a nice black eye from the fight yesterday. Good for him.

"What?" Pyro's shoulders were tense like he was gearing up for a fight.

"You're supposed to be at training." Bobby said in a not so friendly tone of his own.

"You're kidding me right?"

"You're here again, and you're going to follow the rules."

"Forget it. I'm busy."

"Oh, I see." Bobby said.

"See what?" Pyro asked in an arched tone.

"Nothing." Bobby shook his head, but it was totally something. He was insuating something here, and I started to blush.

A beat of silence passed. "You know what? You're right Iceman. Maybe I should come to training." Pyro moved forward aggressively, causing Bobby to take a few steps back.

"Yea, you should." Bobby nodded, like he was accepting a challenge.

Wait, wait, wait. Was this going to be another fight?

"Bell, baby, I'll come find you after, okay?" He kept his eyes on Bobby.

I raised both my eyebrows at the _baby_, knowing it was more for Bobby's benefit than mine. "John, maybe you shouldn't go." The last thing he needed was to get in another fight.

"It's fine." He glanced back at me, but the way him and Bobby were sizing each other up I knew better.

Things were saved from getting ugly between the two of them by Jean. She came waltzing right up, and to my shock Bobby and Pyro both backed off immediately. I listened as she spoke to them, saying that fighting wasn't going to improve anything. She asked Bobby to come with her, and he followed silently.

Pyro watched them go, and I realized that once he turned around he looked a little rattled. Turns out, he hadn't known she was alive until just then. He grilled me for the next hour about everything I knew where Jean was concerned, and was annoyed by how little I knew. He was so interested by her reappearance that it made me wonder about her, but I didn't ask him about her, not wanting to risk him getting started with the questions again.

XXX

By the time I finally made it to bed, I thoroughly missed my apartment. For one there was privacy and for another I didn't have to share anything.

Don't get me wrong, staying at the school wasn't all bad. Something's had its plus. Bunking with Rogue meant I didn't get to work late since she was an earlier raiser and would make sure I didn't over sleep. There was also the added since of security the place offered, and it was a plus to be under the same roof as my brother again. But at my own place I didn't have to consider other people when I picked out something to watch on TV and I didn't get locked out of my bathroom at my own apartment.

Before I drifted off to sleep, I promised myself I get back on my own feet again soon.

**Thanks for reading!**


	17. Chapter 17

Poor Rogue was still trying to deal with Logan being gone. She was good at covering it up, but she missed him. It seemed like people were more likely to ask her if he'd been heard from then anyone else, like she'd be the first person he'd get into contact with at the school if he was so inclined to do so. I felt bad for her, having to deal with someone you cared about just up and leaving was difficult and with no contact with them, I knew firsthand how hard it was. Thank you Otto.

But, you know, she was strong. She didn't dwell on it and she didn't get angry if his name was brought up or depressed acting.

I won't lie; I was really missing Logan too. For one, I wasn't getting trained, and was trying to keep myself in shape by jogging and hitting the gym when I had the time. But let's face it; I'm not the most self disciplined person. If the opportunity to hang out with Rogue or Pyro arose I wasn't missing it. Before, I'd had Logan to keep me on track. Now? Not so much.

There had also been then added security that Logan offered. I hadn't realized it until he was gone, but honestly it had been a comfort to know he was here. I mean, he was this seriously badass guy to start with, and then add those claws? He was just plain scary. And knowing that kind of guy was there if you needed the back up (or more accurately put in my case, needed to be saved, because you got your stupid self in something you couldn't get out of.) was very reassuring.

For Rogue's sake I hoped he would call or something, because the not hearing from someone and just hoping they were okay sucked, and knowing they wouldn't take ten minutes to call to let you know they were okay made you wonder if they even thought about you at all, and that hurt.

Days went by, slowly. I was keeping my regular hours at the library, while trying to sort out my apartment and car situation, without actually leaving the school. I ended up getting kicked out of the apartment because of all the damages done. My car was a lost cause as well. Losing both was liked getting kicked in the gut. I had worked hard for the first time in my life to get things like that, and then have them destroyed made it all that much worse. I was wearing workout clothes from the school's supple and borrowed outfits from Rogue. I was really missing having my own clothes.

Eventually days turned into a week. Some times Pyro was in a great mood, and things went smoothly between us, and other times he was got pissed all over again about the whole situation and we'd fight.

Otto didn't realize that Pyro and I were still…seeing each other? I guess you'd call it that. Anyways, I thought he was going to take Pyro's head off when he caught Pyro's arm around me. For heaven's sakes we weren't even doing anything. And of course Pyro being Pyro didn't help the situation, I swear he just loves to argue, doesn't matter who it's with. I finally got Otto to come with me, so that it wouldn't get violent. Instead of walking away from the TV room, he flashed us straight into his room.

The look Otto was gave me said he wanted to strangle me. "I can't believe you're still with him."

I started to respond but he cut me off.

"Bell, this guy loves killing homo se- regular people." He'd gotten better about the whole mutants are better thing, but he wasn't perfect with it. "He's dangerous. He's got the whole Brotherhood on his ass and you want to cuddle up to this guy?"

"Otto." I said flatly.

"Look, putting aside the fact that he used to be my friend," there had been a strict no dating Otto's friends policy after I'd gotten interested in boys that both him and I had agreed upon. "Let's just forget about him kidnapping you, and holding you hostage, or that he's pretty much a terrorist. Let's just forget about all of that, okay? Hey." He lightly tapped my chin with the knuckle of his index finger to get me to look at him again when I rolled my eyes. "You're going to get hurt. He's got an interest in you now, for whatever reason, but it's going to fade."

I bristled. If he thought that I couldn't take care of myself, then he was wrong. I went to remind him that I'd done fine without him looking over my shoulder for awhile, but he kept going.

"Look, I've known him longer than you have. I've seen him with other girls. He goes through them like water. He's used to getting what he wants and that's it, he's out. The Brotherhood doesn't encourage much else, and it won't permit anything permanent, trust me on that. And Pyro liked it that way because he's got a longer list of one night stands than most of us, and that's kind of saying something."

I clenched my jaw. That wasn't what I wanted to hear about Pyro, and I really didn't want to hear it from Otto, but then something else hit me and I wrinkled up my nose. That _us _on the end…had Otto done that? Sure, I could see Pyro into one night stands, but Otto? My brother, well, we'd never really talked about each others 'private' life, but I knew he'd only been with one girl before leaving home, and good heavens he'd dated her for…well, like forever.

"Oh my God. You had a one night stand? Or stand_s_?" I let the shock I was really feeling show.

Otto's mouth fell open, like he'd just realized what he'd said, then he did that fish out of water impression I'd mastered, where he open and closed his mouth a couple of times as he tried to think of something to say.

"You did!" My eyes got a little bigger. "Otto!" I scolded.

"That's not what we are talking about." He finally said, trying to steer the conversation back on point. However, I was glad for the change of subject.

"I hope you were careful." I put my hands on my hips. "There are all kinds of things you could get. STDs are a nasty business." I was dead serious about this, but at the same time I was using it keep the conversation off me and Pyro. "Have you been tested?"

"I'm clean!" He looked flustered and indignant at the same time, face bright red. I'd never in my life seen him blush so much.

"You sure? I really don't want you getting sick. Not when you just started being my brother again." I wanted to laugh over the look on his face.

"I'm clean. Tested and everything just to be sure." He held his hands up.

I gasped. "So you thought there was a chance you wouldn't be? What kind of girls were sleeping with?"

"Okay, alright, enough." He rolled his eyes. "Brat."

I grinned.

"Maybe _you_ should get tested?"

My jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

"Well, since you've been with Pyro, then you should."

I narrowed my eyes on him, uncomfortable with where this was going. "I'm not sleeping with him, smart-ass."

Otto squinted at me, like he didn't believe me.

I glared at him. "Are your palms getting all tingly and stuff? No? That's because I'm not lying. Not that _that_ is any of _your_ business." I didn't want my brother knowing stuff like. I guess turn abouts a bitch.

"Alright." He said slowly, looking at me like he still couldn't believe it.

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared up at him some more. "That's kind of insulting. No actually it's a lot insulting." I wasn't a virgin. I'd slept with two of my boyfriends, but really sex was fine and all, but to be honest I hadn't found it to be the great stuff you read about. I wasn't a slut though, not by a long shot.

"It's not _you_." Otto clarified. "It's him it's hard to believe he wouldn't-" Then he made a face, and shook his head. "You know what? Let's just forget it, okay? I don't really want to think about it. At all."

I snorted, in a very unlady like fashion. "I don't want you thinking about it either."

He shot me a glare. "All jokes aside, you need to be careful, okay? Bell, listen to me, he's not like the guys we grew up with, and you're not the Home Coming Queen here all the guys are lining up for." I hadn't had all the guys lining up, but it was nice he thought so. "This isn't something that's just going to blow over. These people take this seriously. It's about survival, and Pyro and I have pissed off some pretty serious people who aren't going to forget it."

I nodded; it wasn't like I could forget that this was about survival. I saw the affect it had on the kids. The new ones especially, who were extra nervous around me because I was a 'normal' and they hadn't been treated well by people like me.

"But Pyro, you-he's not…:" Otto was struggling with the right thing to say. "He's got a lot of experience and I'm not talking about with, _you know_, I mean he's been out in the world. He knows how it works, and he knows how to work it." He shrugged and then added gently. "Don't take this the wrong way, but Bell, you're just a kid."

My first thought to that was, like hell I was, but then I stopped and remembered what the Professor had told me about what Otto had gone through with the Brotherhood. I realized maybe I was a little naïve compared to him and Pyro. Didn't mean I was going to admit that to either of them.

"But, hey." Otto leaned over into my line of sight when I'd glanced away. "That doesn't mean you're not doing a good job at taking care of yourself." He smiled, then added. "Aside from this Pyro thing you've got going on."

I rolled my eyes. Half of me wanted to hit him, but the other half wanted to hug him.

The two of us split ways, Otto still wasn't happy, but he'd settle down. I headed back to Pyro who was in his own room and who had obviously taken me leaving with Otto as taking Otto's side. Needless to say he was pissed.

"Seriously?" I asked when he told me to get out of his room. "You're mad?" Could I not win anything here? I was going from one fight to the next.

He didn't respond. Just flipped his Zippo closed then looked up at me from where he sat on the edge of his bed.

"I didn't take anyone's side." I raked a frustrated hand through my hair wondering how much more childish he could really get. "But I wasn't going to let the two of you fight. He's my brother."

That got me an eye roll, and he flipped the lighter open a second later a flame danced to life.

"What, you just want me to stand back and watch the two of you fight it out? I make up my mind by who the winner is?"

He finally looked at me. "Sounds more reasonable then you just walking out of here with him. At least that way I'd know what was said."

I glared at him. "You're worried about what we talked about? Afraid we might have said something not nice about you?"

He shot me a nasty look. "I don't care what either of you gossip about, what I do care about is that you can't make up your mind."

Make up my mind? "You want me to pick between you or my brother?"

The look he gave me let me know that's exactly what he wanted.

"No." I couldn't believe he'd asked me that. Hell, Otto hadn't even asked me that, no matter how mad he'd gotten he hadn't asked me to _chose._ "That's Otto." I shook my head in disbelieve. "He's my brother."

Pyro rolled his eyes.

"I'm _not_ going to throw everything I've worked so hard to get back away. I love him. He's all the family I have left."

"I figured that's who you would pick." He stood up, glaring at me.

"I'm not picking anyone." I snapped.

"Yea, whatever." He reached out and put a hand on the door knob, but I slammed the door closed with a hand just as he started to open it.

"You don't get it." I was losing patience, and he'd run out already.

"Get what?" He was right in my face, as we both had a hand still on the door.

"Otto is family. Despite all the stupid things I've done I've always put my family first, I've never _not_ picked them." It was true, no matter how wild I'd gotten, they'd always been the most important thing in my life, but now things were different. I didn't want to choose a side. I didn't know how to say what I meant here. "The only thing- the only reason I'm not doing that now, is because I care about you. I'm too serious about this-you, I mean. The way I feel about you is too serious for me to just ignore." Okay, so it wasn't some romantic proclamation of love because we weren't there yet, and I'd kind of stumbled through it.

I waited for his response, knowing he understood what I'd just told him. To prove to me that Otto was wrong.

Pyro jerked the door open and indicated I should leave with a pointed glance out the door.

I went stiff at the rejection. My face went red, and my first thought was to take it back, tell him I hadn't meant it. However, I stopped myself, knowing he'd not believe me even if that was true, because the damage was done already. I lifted my chin a notched and stepped out in to the hall. John closed the door firmly behind me, and it seemed to echo in the empty hall. The rejection hurt worse than I'd ever anticipated.

I stood there for a full minute, letting everything sink in. It's not like I'd expected an 'I love you', or for him to melt, but…I'd certainly hadn't expected the indifference.

I glanced behind me at the door, before heading in the direction I'd left Otto. He'd always been my pick-me-up when a boy had me upset. Except…I remembered that Otto wouldn't be much comfort this time. He was still unhappy about me and Pyro. I didn't want an I told you so.

I turned around and headed for the kitchen, there was a pint of unopened cookie-dough ice cream that someone had hidden at the back of the freezer. Someone was going to be out of some ice-cream, but I was after a little comfort, even if it was of the cold verity. And as dug it out from behind all the things in front, I promised I'd replace it.

I snuck it out the kitchen and up to Rogues room. I turned on _Mama Mia, _and eat ice cream and watched. I wanted to cry, really, really wanted to, but I had a whole list of reasons not to. For one Rogue could walk in and then I'd have to explain it, crying makes ice cream not taste as good, if I started I probably wouldn't stop until I'd cried myself to sleep then I'd wake up with a head ach, I'd feel even worse for crying over a _mutant terrorist_, and if Pyro found out that I'd cried over him it would probably just boost his ego. Jerk.

Rogue found me there sometime later, ice cream finished off and the credits rolling. I was sleeping, but popped up when she turned the TV off. She gave me an odd look, but I ignored it as I sat up with a yawn. She asked if something was wrong, but I just brushed the question off with a 'fine'. I wasn't about to drag it all out again when I'd just started feeling a little better.

However, I did talk her into going with me for a little shopping. I was in serious need of clothing, and getting out would be good for me. Rogue wasn't crazy about shopping, but even she had fun. Granted I'd spent more than I'd intended to.

We split up when she had to go to the restroom, while I was trying to get something out of the claw machine in the mall's arcade. However, she was back a moment later, saying she'd just wait. We headed out to her car, loaded up my bags, got in and headed back to the school.

Everything was fine until my cell phone started ringing, and I pulled it out to see that it was Rogue calling.

"You're calling me." I frowned, thinking maybe she had her phone in her pocket and was 'butt dialing me' or something.

"Oops." She smiled, rolled down her window, snatched my phone from me and flung it out the window.

At first I was stunned, and very confused. Then she glanced at me with yellow eyes. Mystique.

I started trying to climb out the car, not caring that she was doing at least fifty on a four lane highway. All I wanted was away from her.

She put the child lock on, and I was stuck. I couldn't even get the windows to roll down.

"You're kidnapping me? Again?" I was trying to not panic and think through this.

"No." She answered simply, turning back blue.

"No?" Then what was she doing…?

Oh. No. It hit me like a sledge hammer, and I started to really struggle. There was no way I was just going to sit by and nicely let her kill me. Not having any better ideas I jerked the wheel, spinning us into oncoming traffic. Where we were hit so hard that I didn't know what happen at first.

I must have blacked out for a moment, because I came back around feeling disorientated. Then I glanced over and saw Mystique coming around, and even as out of it as I was I knew I had to get away. My window had been broken, glass was everywhere, but I crawled out of it cutting myself more then I'd already been. I landed with a thud on the ground, and looked up to see that a semi had hit the backseat's door on my side. I was on my back, trying to get a grip on myself, my hands were blood from glass, I hurt all over, but the worst part was the unchecked terror coursing through me.

A man, I'm guessing the trucker we'd swerved in front of came into my line of view, looking shaken to his core. He was saying something to me, but I wasn't hearing him thanks to the roar in my ears. He carefully helped me up, but when I looked over and saw Mystique moving in her seat, I pushed him away and started running.

I wasn't very coordinated and I wasn't fast, but I was determined to get away from her, and I'd cross two lanes of busy traffic to do it. Most of the cars had stopped thankfully because of the wreck I'd caused, and so I wasn't all that worried about getting hit. People were trying to stop me, I think they were trying to help, but I was pushing them away like I had the trucker. I couldn't even _think,_ all I knew was that I had to get away, my life depended on it.

The first thing that I heard through the roar in my ears were sirens, I looked back to see Mystique out the car, and looking more recovered then I was. She had a gun in her hand, where she got it, I have no idea, and people were backing up from her. Some flat out running. She glanced at the approaching police, then back at me. She raised that gun, took aim, and the next thing I know I landed face first on the asphalt road that I'd almost finished crossing. Everything went black after that.

**A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry it's been so long…again, but here it is. I hope you enjoyed it. **


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: First off, thank ya'll so much for the great reviews. I love getting the feedback. **

**Now, about this chapter, I did something kinda different. It's shorter than normal, but it's in Otto's POV. Since it's not really his story, its Bell's, it doesn't go too deep into his character, just focuses on what's happened. I just thought it would be an interesting way to move the story forward a little while Bell is out of it. **

_**Otto's POV:**_

I've done something's. Some really shitty things. But I had never, ever felt as guilty over them as I waited on the doc to tell me how Bell was doing.

How many people had been stuck in this kind of special hell waiting to find out if their brother, father, or son (never a sister, mother, or daughter; I hadn't ever worked over a woman before.) was going to pull through after I'd gotten through with them? I'm a big guy and I'd done some real damage to some people at Magneto's request. Just like Mystique had done to my sister.

The thought made me sick. I'd hurt people, and it had been easy because Magneto had said they weren't on the Brotherhood's side. But now, as I think about it, how many people had I busted up or killed because I'd been told to? How many of those were really a threat? How many had hurt anyone?

I'd never questioned any of that until now, not even when I'd defected from the Brotherhood. I'd always assumed they'd done _something_ to deserve what I had done to them. But as I sat waiting to find out if my sister was going to be okay, I began to wonder. Because Bell sure as hell hadn't done anything to get shot, she hadn't been a threat.

I waited for over an hour, scared like I'd never been before. Pyro, sitting across from me, was silent for once. I'd never thought I'd see the day he didn't have something to say. I wasn't paying attention though, I'd leaned forward in my chair and propped my elbows on my knees, head in my hands. Wrapped up in my guilt and fear.

That was the worst hour of my life. Man, if I thought my dad finding out I was a mutant was, this had nothing on it. Not with the image of her blood and broken burned into my brain. She'd been shot, for Christ sakes. Her faced busted up, hands bloody and she'd been pale like she'd lost too much blood. I thought I was going to lose it when I couldn't get her to open her eyes after I found her. Xavier's voice in my head, telling me to bring her back to the school, as loud as a fog horn, was what got me moving.

As I waited I was reliving every stupid thing I'd said to her. Going over how much she'd changed since I'd left home. How much of a mistake it had been to follow Magneto.

A hand rested on my shoulder. I lifted my head up just enough to see Rogue, Bell's friend. She usually avoided me, I think I made her nervous. Our gazes clashed, and even though I'd never admit it in a million years, I welcomed the comforting touch. She didn't smile, but she held eye contact with me as she gave my shoulder a squeeze. I nodded a little in gratitude before resting my head back in my hands. She didn't take her hand away for a few long moments.

I'd noticed that Rogue wasn't the only one to join Pyro and me. Gambit and Nightcrawler were there too. It brought home the point that she'd done better then me at building a new life for herself, much better. She had people looking out for her, who cared about her, even if they were mutants and she wasn't.

I narrowed my eyes on Pyro's boots. I wanted to beat the fuck out of him. The night Magneto had sent his men to Bell's apartment I had asked him what his game was. If he really had feelings for my sister or what. I could live it if he actually cared for her, not that I thought he deserved her, but let's face it, no guy is really good enough for my baby sister. However the dick wouldn't answer me, knowing I'd know if he lied, and still refused, even after we traded a few punches. Now I wanted was to ask him again, did he actually care about her? Had she risked her life on this bastard for nothing?

I didn't though, realizing that it wouldn't even make me feel better to knock his head in. The only thing that would help would be to know Bell was going to be okay.

That and killing that bitch Mystique.

Clicking of heels on the tiled floor caught my attention and I jerked my head up. Jean was approaching. Normally I'd enjoy the view; I'd always had a thing for red-heads, but not today. I stood up at the same time Pyro did. Gambit, stopped shuffling the deck of cards in his hands, and it seemed liked the clock stopped.

"Otto." She looked up at me. "Bell is going to be fine."

I exhaled a breath I hadn't even realized I'd been holding.

"The bullet went straight through her shoulder, with minimal damage. She suffered a concussion, and a good deal of blood loss." Jean looked between me and Pyro, trying to sound reassuring. "She's probably going to be sore because of the bruising from what I believe to be caused by the air bags. There's swelling in her face and some minor aberrations, also from the air bags; it looks much worse than it actually is and I doubt there will be any scaring. We did have to pick glass out of her hands, some of which was deeply embedded, and while there will most likely be scars from it, there's nothing disfiguring."

I felt gratitude and relief sweep through me. She was going to live. That was the important part.

"Can I see her?" Pyro asked.

I narrowed my eyes on him.

"I think it would be best to let her brother have a few minutes with her first. I'll come get you after."

Pyro didn't look too happy, but I didn't give a damn. Family first.

I followed Jean back.

"She's not awake." Jean glanced at me as we walked. "We need to monitor her because of the concussion and blood loss, both are serious, but I believe she's going to be fine. The worst part is going to be the bruising and then physical therapy for her shoulder."

I nodded, but didn't say anything. She opened the door, then paused. "Just remember, that it looks worse then it actually is."

I nodded again, and stepped into the room as Jean left.

If possible Bell looked worse on that bed then she had when I had found her. The right side of her face had swelled even more. It was shiny and scratched up. Her hands were bandaged and there were stitches in some places and she still looked pale. Laying there she looked tiny, and vulnerable.

There wasn't a chair so I stood next to the bed, then I started to choke up when I realized I couldn't even hold her hand without fear of hurting her. What if I irritated stitches?

I took a deep breath to steady myself. Knowing that if she caught me crying it would probably scare her. Not that there was much of a chance of her waking up just then, but I didn't want to risk it. If she thought the situation was bad enough that I was bawling she'd freak out. Think she was going to die or her face was scared up beyond repair. There be no way she believe that I was mostly relieved. No, I wouldn't risk doing that.

But _fuck_. I'd been scared.

I clenched my fists at my side, cleared my throat and started talking to her.

"Hey." I swallowed, not sure what to say. "You're going to be fine they said. That it's just worse then it looks. I won't let you near a mirror though until the swelling goes away. I know you, you'll start freaking out, get hysterical because you're not pretty anymore. Not that you're not still." I frowned then shook my head, but kept talking, saying anything that came to mind, until Jean came back to politely remind me there were others waiting.

**A/N: Told you it was short, but don't worry, I've already started on the next chapter. **


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Thanks for the awesome reviews! **

I opened my eyes slowly to see fire.

I blinked, watching it.

The lighter's lid snapped closed, killing the flame.

I turned my head a little, and Pyro came into view. He had his elbow resting next to my shoulder, one hand was under mine like he was holding it, but not actually touching.

"Hey," He leaned closer when he saw me looking at him. "You're awake." A smile lit his face up. The hand that used to be holding his Zippo came up and touched my hair, making me wonder what he'd done with the lighter.

I watched as his eyebrows knitted together. "Are you in pain?"

Why would I be? I tried to remember, but nothing came to mind.

"Hmm?" That crease between his eyebrows deepened, and his eyes were searching my face.

I slightly shook my head. Oddly enough, I really wasn't feeling much of anything.

His face smoothed out, his expression gentle. "Good."

"What happen?" The words were slurred sounding to even me, and my voice was so gravely that I barely recognized it.

The crease between his eyebrows came back, even deeper this time. "You don't remember?" He sounded worried.

I shook my head again, wondering what I should be remembering, but too sleepy to really be afraid, even though part of me felt like I should be.

A hand stretched out from the other side of my bed and rested on Pyro's shoulder.

"She's heavily medicated John." A voice said, like it was reminding him.

I slowly turned my head, finding a woman there.

"It'll come back to her when she's a little more lucid."

Pyro nodded, and the concern in his face faded a little.

I couldn't remember the woman's name, but seeing her brought to mind Logan, but that didn't really make sense.

She smiled. "That's okay. My name's Jean."

I hadn't realized I'd voiced that thought, and I watched as her smile grew. I asked her what had happened, but before I could hear what she had to say I was asleep.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Don't do that around her."

The clicking and snapping sound that had woke me up stopped at my brother's command.

The first thought in my mind was that I wished I'd been left to continue sleeping. There was an awful taste in my mouth, like something small and furry had died in it. My whole body was a dull ache. And I was nauseous, and that was truly the worst part. I must have been on some kind of pain medicine. I always got sick from it.

I kept my eyes closed, as I tried to breath threw the nausea. Trying to focus on something else, and as I did that I remembered Mystique. The wreck, her aiming a gun at me, then the ground coming up to meet me. And then? No clue.

What had happened after?

I opened my eyes. On either side of me Otto and Pyro sat in chairs. They were glaring silently at each other. Unfortunately, it only last a few moments before they started arguing, voices low but none the less hostile and aggressive.

"Get out." I gritted through clenched teeth. I was _not_ going to lie between them, hurting and feeling like I'd just discovered a whole new level of grossness, while they had a pissing contest.

"Bell?" Pyro looked taken aback.

"How are you feeling?" Otto recovered first from his own surprise.

"I said, Get. Out."

"Why, what's the matter?" Pyro asked, looking concerned.

"I'm not listening to you argue." I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting the nausea.

"We'll stop." Pyro insisted.

"Yea," Otto added, like he would behave too.

"No! Out!" I snapped my eyes back open to glare at them. I wasn't up to playing referee, and was already so irritated that even me being asleep wasn't enough to make them be civil.

They looked at each other, like neither was sure what to do, like they weren't sure I meant it.

"Now." I just wanted to be left alone to die in peace.

Otto didn't look happy as he shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded.

"I'll be back later." Pyro swooped down and kissed my hair, then grinned at me when I gave him a look of warning. If I could have hit him…

"C'mon." Otto all but growled at him, and then to me he added in a gentler tone. "I'll let Jean know you're awake."

I closed my eyes again; I didn't care what he did, so long as they weren't standing over me fighting. The door shut softly behind them, and I was left in a very calm silence until Jean came in. She gave me something to help with the nausea, and when it kicked in I was feeling worlds better. The crankiness left and I was able to think a little clearer. Jean got me water and something to eat and helped me with it because I could hardly lift either arm. While she did that she filled me in on what had happened, saying that Rogue called Gambit after I'd gone missing and he had alerted the Professor, who tracked me down. Otto had been able to teleport to a place not far from the wreck and brought me back to the school. I'd been out of it for a couple of days, suffering from a gunshot wound, concussion, blood loss, and some bruises that were making it difficult to lift even my good arm (my good arm being the one not shot.).Before Jean left, she gave me a remote to the TV mounted on the wall across from me, but I really wasn't interested in that.

I was reeling from it all. I'd managed to survive Mystique, granted I was worse for the wear, but I was alive. I was glad Rogue had called to get me help. Again. It seemed she was my life line in these situations. However, this go 'round with the Brotherhood was way worse than the last time. Before I'd known they were going to keep alive for at least a little while, but this time they'd only sent in someone to kill me.

I frowned at the thought. Didn't they have people on their hit list that were a little more threatening? I mean c'mon. I wasn't a mutant. I didn't have any political power, I wasn't intelligent enough to do testing on mutants for science. The only thing remotely dangerous about me was that I had a decent aim with a rifle. (and that was only because a few of my boyfriends had liked to take me hunting with them, so Daddy had taught me how to shoot, just in case one of them got any bright ideas about no one being in shouting distance while we were in the woods.)But really me trying to shoot Magneto was a joke, the man could control metal. Didn't Magneto have someone a little more important to send out hits on?

I was frustrated and drowsy again from whatever Jean had given me to help with the pain and nausea, but I was undeniably thankful to be alive. Even if I was so busted up it hurt to blink. When Otto came back around, I would thank him for coming to get me, and when I saw Rogue and Gambit I'd thank them both too. However, the person I wanted to talk to the most was the Professor, not only to thank him, but to know what had happened to Mystique, because Jean hadn't mentioned it, and I wanted to know what I should expect next. How safe was I?

I ended up thinking about all this until I fell back asleep, but woke up when Kurt paid me a visit.

"I was so worried." He told me, German accent thick, tail twitching behind him.

"Thanks, but I'm okay." I grinned as must as the swelling would allow. "Would you mind doing me a favor?"

"Of course not. What is it?"

"Would you get me a mirror? I haven't seen what my face looks like yet, and it feels kind of weird." I touched it carefully. It was swollen and scratched up, but how back was the damage?

I watched as Kurt's smile turned nervous. "Oh, you don't need one of those. You look fine."

I blinked. How bad was it? I started to panic.

"I need to go now. I've got a class. Bye."

"Wait." But Kurt was already out the door.

Oh. My. God. I touched my face again, very carefully. How bad was it?

XXX

I was starting to come to terms with the fact I might have to wear a bag over my head for the rest of my life. I went back over what had happened with Mystique as best as I could remember it, some of it was just missing, and for the life of me I couldn't remember anything that would be bad enough to disfigure my face.

It was an hour after Kurt's visit when Rogue stopped by, Gambit in tow. Thanked both of them, repeatedly, then I told her what had happened with Kurt. She laughed it off saying that Otto had asked that no one give me a mirror until I'd healed up some. When I insisted she didn't have to listen to my brother, she promised me I looked fine, and that I should listen to Otto. Despite her reassurance I was really beginning to get worried. I nodded along, feeling like a child, and knowing how I look should be the last thing on my mind, and maybe it would have been if everyone hadn't forbid me to look in a mirror.

After they left I started dowsing, but nearly jumped out of my skin when I someone touch my hair.

I blinked open my eyes and found Pyro sitting there, I hadn't noticed him coming in. I smiled a little glad to see him back, even if there was a possibility my face was pretty horrific.

"You going to throw me out again?" He had a teasing smile on his face.

"Are you going to pick a fight?"

His smile turned into a smirk.

"So how bad is it?" I asked him, figuring he'd give me a straight answer.

"Is what?" He frowned.

"My face. No one will let me see it."

Pyro shrugged. "Not that bad. It's mostly just one side."

I made a face. "Will you get me a mirror?"

"No." Point blank.

"Why not?" It was whiny sounding, and I cringed after I said it.

"Because for once Shadow's right about something. You don't need to see it, get all worked up about it, and it's not a permanent thing."

"I won't get worked up." I promised.

"You will too."

"How do you know?"

"Because you're one of those girls that depends on her looks."

I was indignant. "No I am not." I may not be the smartest person, but like hell did I rely on the way I looked to get by.

He was grinning at me, totally amused by how insulted I was. He scooted his chair closer, leaning in. I looked down when he started to slip his hand under mine, where it was resting on my stomach, thinking if he touched my stitches I was going to kill him. However, I didn't have to worry, he was careful. The caution he took was sweet.

"Well, what if I said you look like a girl who could get by on just her looks?" I knew I wasn't, but he was flirting, and it made me feel a little less panicked about what I wasn't seeing.

"You just want me to stop asking for a mirror." I accused him, wishing I wasn't so drowsy so I could be pushier.

"Yea, kind of." He admitted, smiling. "But it doesn't make what I said not true."

I let myself smile a little, because what girl doesn't like being told she was pretty by the guy she's got a thing for?

He moved even closer, and if it was anyone else I would have felt crowded.

"You're being kinda sweet."I told him. Pyro was argumentative, intimidating, funny, annoying, sexy even, but I'd not really seen sweet before.

"You must be on some really good drugs if you're calling me that." He laughed softly.

"Must be." I smiled and turned my head a little more toward him. My eye lids were feeling heavy.

"You're not cranky anymore." He pointed out.

I shook my head, getting rid of the nausea had helped with that. Now I was just fighting off sleep, feeling relaxed and relatively pain free at the moment.

I hadn't realized I'd let my eyes close and I'd started to drift off, until I left something brush against my good shoulder. I snapped them open and saw Pyro pressing a gentle kiss to my bare shoulder, before he tugged the hospital like gown back up. The thing had been sliding down that shoulder since I'd woken up.

"You're so banged up it's hard to find a place to touch that won't hurt." He muttered, not looking at me.

_Tell me about it. _

"So…" He said slowly, cautiously. "You want to talk about what happen?" The offer wasn't sarcastic, like I would imagine it to be any other time.

My eyebrows went up. "Careful, Pyro. I might start to think you might have a crush on me."

"Just a crush, huh?" He laughed, but it sounded like it was directed at himself.

"Well, I don't know." I shrugged my good shoulder a little, then regretted it. "It's not like you tell me anything."

"Look, if this is about what you said about having feelings for me," Oh, hell I'd forgotten all about that. "Then don't expect anything from me." He was a little defensive sounding, surprising me."Yea you got hurt, but I'm not going to tell you that I love you. Like that would be believable anyway? And it'd be cliché." He muttered the last bit.

"Done?" I asked, not appreciating the reminder of his rejection.

He narrowed his eyes on me. "I shouldn't have bothered." He started to take his hand away, to leave.

"Wait." I sat up some.

He paused and looked at me.

"I'm sorry, okay?" I didn't want him to go, even arguing I'd rather have him around.

Pyro shook his head as he stood up.

"Please John." I followed him with my eyes, hoping if nothing else I'd guilt him into staying. "Don't go."

He glared at me for a moment but cracked and sat back down, not looking at me. "Fine."

I wanted to smile, but stopped myself. Instead I reached to touch him, ignoring the pain from my bruises. Just my fingers reached his jaw, where I settled them.

"I wasn't trying to pick a fight." I told him.

He finally looked at me. "Did it anyway."

"I'm not used to you offering things like that. That kind of falls into boyfriend territory."

"Thought I was your boyfriend?" He leaned in some, the irritation fading from him.

I grinned, but didn't saying anything. _I don't know __what__ you are, because you won't tell me._

He smirked, then stilled as I traced his lower lip with my index finger. "You're playing with fire." He warned me in a serious tone, but the look in his eyes was teasing.

I rolled my eyes at the bad line, and took my hand away, trying not to laugh.

"I was worried." Pyro changed topics so suddenly that it surprised me, and said it so sincerely that it made me pause. "I was even willing to work with Shadow to go get you. Then when he brought you back and no one knew if you were going to make it…" He trailed off for a second, then cleared his throat. "Anyway I decided then that I wasn't going back to the Brotherhood."

"You weren't sure before?" I asked quietly. I had assumed that he was finished with them for good.

Pyro glanced away. "I was hoping Magneto would take me back after everything blew over."

"You mean when you were done with me?" Wow. Talk about a slap in the face.

"Honestly?"

I nodded.

"More like the other way around." He shrugged when I frowned, confused. "I thought I'd go back after you'd finally had enough of me and sent me on my way." Then I realized he looked anything but confidant, and was even more astonished by it than when he'd been acting sweet. Pyro was always sure of himself, always.

I didn't say anything. Letting it sink in, but not having no idea how to respond or even what to think.

After a moment he cleared his throat again."Do you want too though? Talk about it I mean, not send me packing." He said the last part like it was a joke, but there was no humor in his face, and I certainly didn't find it funny.

I glanced up at the ceiling, deciding I'd do it for him, even if I didn't want to really. He was trying to be nice, and I wasn't going to refuse and have him think I was just pushing him away; not after everything he'd said.

"It happened fast." I started. "I just got in the car with her thinking I was with Rogue, and safe. Then she let me know she wasn't Rogue and she planned to kill me. I totally freaked out after that but she had me trapped. I did the only thing I could think of and jerked the wheel. We got hit and after that I couldn't think straight, just knew I needed to get away, so I started to run. I thought I'd been terrified the last time the Brotherhood-" I stopped, then glanced worriedly at Pyro. I'd unintentionally had brought up when he'd kidnapped me, a subject we really didn't talk about.

His gaze slide away from me, but I don't know what his expression was. However, his posture lacked its usual confidence still, and that made me a little upset. He must be really bothered by this for it to be showing. Not to mention, I liked his cockiness at times, but I would never, ever admit that to him.

After a long moment I cleared my throat and continued. "I don't really understand why they want me dead. I haven't done anything."

"I don't know about that." He was close again, but not touching me.

I frowned, confused.

"Two of their members have betrayed them because of you."

"No. Otto left because of the thing with Jimmy."

"Yea, but Magneto would have eventually been able to pull him back if it weren't for you."

I wondered if that was true. "Maybe." I said, not even bringing up that Pyro had left too, though it was on my mind. "But I'm still not a threat. There's really no need for him to try and kill me."

"You took his followers, and he wants you dead. You're just a homo sepien to him."

"I didn't _take _anything, and I'm _just _a _homo sepien_ to plenty of other people, and they aren't trying to kill me." I muttered, annoyed.

"He thinks you did." He sounded distracted.

**"Why would you ever follow someone that wears a bucket on his head?" I lifted my head a little, looking at him. He was so close all I would have had to do it lean forward a little to kiss him…and when I ****unconsciously licked my lips I remembered that both of them were split and it would be kind of painful to kiss him. But at least he wasn't looking like someone ran over his puppy anymore, in fact he seemed back to normal. Talk about mood swings.**

"A bucket?" He laughed, tugging the hospital gown down on my shoulder, and I had to fight to ignore the sensation of his fingers there on my skin.

"Why?" I asked, but was wondering just what the hell he thought he was doing?

"I don't like _homo sepeins." _He mumbled, right before he pressed a kiss to my exposed shoulder.

That killed it. I rolled my eyes. "Says the guy kissing me." I jerked my hospital gown back into place and laid back again.

He'd paused, frowning down at my now covered shoulder. "You don't count."

I glared at him. "Why don't I?"

Pyro leaned in and with his lips moving right against my ear whispered something that had me swallowing hard and blushing bright red. He stood up, grin totally cocky, he looked confident again and very sure about his half compliment, half request/promise that he'd just given me. I was a little to shocked/embarrassed to respond. I got a kiss placed at my temple before he headed for the door. Just as he was opening it he looked back at me, who was still blushing, and winked. I could hear him chuckling as he the door closed behind him.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: This chapter ended up being like a bunch of little mini-chapters. It's not what I had in mind when I started, but that's how it ended up.**

**As always thanks ya'll for the great reviews. I can't believe so many people have taken an interest in this story. It's awesome, and ya'll are fantastical! **

I woke up in the middle of the night to Jean checking up on me and to give me another dose of medication and God bless her for it, because when that stuff wears off I hurt all over and get cranky.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." She whispered.

" S'okay." I mumbled, half asleep.

Something that sounded like a snore caught my attention, and I looked over to find Otto slumped down in a chair, asleep. What was he doing?

"He's been staying here at night with you so someone would be here when you finally woke up. He leaves first thing in the morning when John shows up, almost like they were taking shifts." She looked amused, as she spoke in a low tone.

"That looks uncomfortable." He was in a chair that had armrests and a little cushioning but it wasn't cozy enough to sleep in. His legs were stretched out in front of him with his ankles crossing, boots still on his feet. His fingers were laced together over his chest, where his chin was also resting.

Jean glanced over at him. "He refused to let us bring in a cot for him."

I shook my head, I ought to wake him up and send him to his own bed, but somehow I didn't figure that he'd listened.

"I doubt he would either." Jean agreed with me.

I decided to let it slide that I hadn't said anything out loud when she got a blanket and carefully draped it over my brother's large frame, before she left.

I hated to see him trying to sleep like that, so I made an effort to wake him up. "Otto." I repeated his name a half dozen times.

"Shut up Bell." He muttered, sounding still asleep. He didn't even bother to lift his head up and his hair had fallen forward into his face so I couldn't see if he'd even opened his eyes.

"Go get in your bed." I told him.

"No." He finally picked his head up, and raked his hair out of his face with a hand. "Now go back to sleep and leave me alone."

"Stop being so grumpy."

He gave me an irritated look as he pulled the blanket Jean had given him up higher around himself.

"You look uncomfortable."

"Don't worry about it." His eyes were closed again.

I let it go and left him be. It wasn't like I was really up to arguing with him anyway I was having trouble staying awake myself. It took only a couple of minutes before he was snoring that soft, familiar snore of his. I chuckled softly, amazed that it hadn't changed like everything else about him had. I ended up drifting off to sleep listening to it and was thankful that it wasn't loud or obnoxious.

XXX

I peeled my eyes open the next morning and found Otto standing and stretching.

"How you feeling?" He sat back down in the chair next to me.

"I could be worse."

He nodded along to that, and we were both silent. It was early in the morning, like before sun up.

"Thanks for coming for me. I probably wouldn't have made it otherwise." I plunged right it and told him straight.

"I'm just glad nothing worse happened." He met my gaze only after he said it.

"Me too." I joked. "But really that was great of you."

He shrugged, and looked down again, almost like he was embarrassed. "You know," he picked at the small hole in his jeans on his thigh. "If you wanted to repay the favor you could."

"Oh yea? How?"

"Drop Pyro."

I blinked. Was he serious?

Otto looked up at me. "No?" Then he shrugged. "It was worth a shot to ask."

I let out a silent but relieved breath, totally thankful he wasn't pushing that right now. "He's not that bad Otto."

"Save it. I'm not interested." He waved a hand at me, brushing the whole conversation off. "I'll get you some juice, alright?" He reached over and grabbed my cup that was on the table next to me.

I let it go, deciding I'd try to win him over when I was not so loopy from my meds. He popped out then popped back in.

"Thanks." I said as he handed me the cup. This whole being waited on thing was kind of awkward. After taking a few sips I remembered Kurt's visit yesterday. "Oh and what's with you telling everyone not to give me a mirror? You've got everyone thinking I'm some big diva who's going to freak out."

"I just figured if you saw it you'd start to worry about it, and if it was going to just go away you shouldn't worry about it."

"Yea, well when I ask Kurt for a mirror he practically ran from me."I wasn't happy about that.

He grinned. "I might of said I'd bust a few heads if someone gave it to you."

"You did not tell him that." He better not have threaten Kurt.

"Well maybe not him exactly, but defiantly your boyfriend." Even at the mention of Pyro, Otto still looked amused.

"That's called being a bully Otto." Something my brother hadn't been before leaving home, and not really much of one now from what I'd seen.

"No." He was finding this whole thing funny. "It's not my fault he was eavesdropping."

"You're going to make him scared of you." I warned.

"He already is."

"He's my friend and you better be nice to him." I wasn't going to put up with Kurt getting a hard time from someone, even if that someone was my brother.

"Yea, sure, fine." Otto waved me off.

"I mean it. I'll kick your ass." I was only half joking. It didn't matter if I was all beat to hell myself, there was no way I'd stand back and let him get away with being a jerk to Kurt. Kurt was just so nice, how could anyone be mean to him?

Otto flat out laughed. I mean really, really laughed. It was a nice thing to see, even if it was obviously at my expense, because he was always to weight down and serious anymore.

"You know. It's not that ridiculous. I have put you on the ground once before." I reminded him, trying not to smile myself.

"Only because I didn't think you'd get violent." He said, still grinning.

I narrowed my eyes on him. "Have you been sneaking some of my pain killers? You're awful happy."

He shook his head, dark, almost black hair that barely brushed his collar, swaying with his head. "Nah, I'm just doing good today."

I let it go at that, and smiled with him. We were both doing good today. I was alive and relatively okay, and he was the closest to happy I've seen him in a long, long time.

"I talked with the Professor yesterday." Otto told me a little later. "He had to make a trip to somewhere and that's why he's not come seen you. But anyway, he let me know he's going to talk to Magneto and try to convince Magneto to let you be."

"What?" I scoffed. "The Professor has old bucket head's direct line or something?" I mean what? He was just going to ring Magneto up and nicely ask Magneto to leave me alone? No way.

"I don't know, but I got a feeling he's probably going to do a face to face.

"No!" I almost shouted. "He can't do that. Magneto will kill him."

Otto shook his head. "No. No, he wouldn't do that."

"What would make you think that? The man is insane."

"Bell," Otto said slowly. "Magneto isn't as crazy you like to think. He's just, I don't, a man at war. Fighting for survival."

"That's almost poetic." I didn't hide the sarcasm.

He ignored me and kept speaking. "Magento and Xavie share a long history."

I squinted at Otto. "What kind of history?"

"They used to be friends, and I guess they kind of still are. Magneto won't go out of his way to directly harm Xavier."

I was shocked. The Professor associated with the likes of Magneto? What in the world? Otto explained that it was Pyro who told him originally about them and he wasn't sure on the specifics really, but that there are times when the two get in contact. In fact, when I had wanted to reunite with Otto it only happened because the Professor had directly spoken with Magneto.

I was blown away. These two men were two different extremes. The Professor representing the good and Magneto the bad. Amazing. Did that somehow make Magneto a little less monstrous? I wondered about it for a moment, then remembered I was sitting in a bed shot up and recovering from a serious car wreck because Magneto wanted me dead. I decided that maybe mutants could paint Magneto in shades of gray, to reason away why he's not the monster he's perceived to be, but man kind wasn't going to, and Magneto had done that to himself. I certainly wasn't ever going to think of him as anything but a very dangerous enemy.

Otto hung around with me for a while, even when Dr. McCoy stopped by for a quick visit, and it was great having him with me.

When Jean stopped in to check up on me, she told me that it would be alright for me to move back to the room I shared with Rogue, but stressed that I should still take it easy for awhile to give myself a chance to recover more. She got me some clothes and Otto excused himself while she had to help me dress, much to my humiliation. I wasn't able to lift my left arm because of the gunshot wound and my right was so bruised from where the air bag had hit me while I was switched around grabbing the steering wheel that I wasn't able to lift it very far. Jean talked to me about physical therapy, saying I'd need some for the left shoulder, but the rest of me would heal up on its own.

Jean let Otto back in and he tried to flash me up to Rogues room but I insisted I'd rather walk; I'd been in bed for awhile and needed to stretch my legs. It was a slow go, but he was patient and didn't seem to mind. It was still early morning and everyone was in classes so the hall ways were empty as we passed through.

He was a little hesitant about coming into Rogue's room, something I found kind of comical, an ex-member of the Brotherhood was still a little gentlemanly. So instead of making him worry about being intrusive I told him I was kind of hungry and we ambled on down to the kitchen.

Bobby passed us on the way, and the look he gave both of us was disgust. I just looked away not bothering to acknowledge him, Otto was glaring with hostility. I realized that I was no longer welcomed by some of the members of the X-Men.

XXX

I spent the next couple of days taking it easy like Jean had suggested, but I wasn't getting a second to myself. If Otto wasn't there then Pyro was, and at night Rogue was there of course because it was her bedroom and all. Otto was keeping an eye on me, like I'd suddenly combust if someone wasn't there. I appreciated his concern and loved spending time with him, it was just the constant worry, like I'd break. When Pyro was there, he made an effort to not argue, which was nice, since we seemed to do a lot of that normally.

After my second day of physical therapy I was feeling a little wore out. I went back to the room and crashed after I sent Otto on his way. Rogue wouldn't be back till late evening since she'd taken up a couple of classes and was helping Kurt run the library while I was healing up some. I was asleep just moments after my head hit the pillow.

For the most part I had no trouble getting to sleep. However, since moving back into Rogues room I'd nightmares. I told myself that it was natural; that I'd almost died and something like that would have a lingering affect on more than just my body. As unpleasant as the nightmares were I didn't remember much of them except that Mystique was in them and then even as rattled as they left me I wasn't disturbing Rogue while she was sleeping, so I was able to keep it to myself that I was having nightmares.

The Professor finally made it back and came to see me. He had spoken with Magneto and the problem seemed that Magneto was just hell bent on having me dead. I'd threaten Magneto's Brotherhood by swaying two of his members, and Magneto didn't suffer threats.

Part of me wanted to call Magneto up and have a heart to heart with him about all this, let him know that I hadn't intentionally done anything to offend him. Heck, I hadn't even tried to sway anyone. But really who am I kidding? I'm not that brave.

So all and all the Professor had no good news for me. He did let me know that as long as I was at the school I was safe, Magneto would not attack the school. But I had to wonder how sure could he be? It really wouldn't take much for Mystique to slip in and get at me, and with how busted up I was I really wouldn't stand a chance.

XXX

I want my life back.

I want to be able to have an apartment, I want to be able to come and go as I please without threat of the Brotherhood. I had to drop out of my classes after the Brotherhood had given me a surprise visit at my apartment, and I resented it. I want to go back to school. I was pissed that I'll have to be careful of what I wear for the rest of my life because there's going to be a scar from where I'd been shot. I wanted to be able to go to sleep and not worry about having a nightmare that night. Before I'd left home these were the kinds of things I'd taken for granted. Having a home, being safe, the chance to education, getting to wear cute little sundresses, and sleeping through each night.

However, getting my life back seems impossible. How in the hell am I going to be able to get through all this? Where would I even start? Contemplating everything overwhelmed me and I hid in a bathroom and cried about it for like an hour the night after the Professor had spoken with me, feeling totally hopeless and helpless. It just seemed too much, like I'd be depending on the charity and goodwill of the Professor for the rest of my life. I doubted there was a place on earth I could hide that the Brotherhood couldn't find me if I left the school. This had never been my intentions when I left home. I'd just wanted to find my brother. I'd gotten myself in way over my head, and it scared the day lights out of me. Had I'd ruined my whole over by leaving home and coming here? I shouldn't have come.

I paused at that thought, even my crying stopped as I thought that over.

If I hadn't have come, I would never have caught the eye of Magneto. I'd still be at home, going to parties, all wrapped up in small town life. I would have never meet the Professor and would still have feared mutants. I would have never known what had happened to Otto, and he would have thought I wouldn't have cared. He'd probably be with the Brotherhood still. I would have never gone to college or met Rogue, who had turned out to be the best friend I've ever had. I'd still be messing around with guys that didn't do much for me, not like Pyro did. I would have never gone to college if the Professor hadn't been around to talk me into it.

Time to stop feeling sorry for myself, I decided. I've been lucky. I'd made a better life for myself. I liked being a librarian at the school, with the kids you never knew what kind of day you were in for. I like having my brother back, I liked being Rogue's friend, and I sure as heck like being Pryos…girlfriend? Well, whatever Pyro and me were I liked it. I enjoyed arguing with him more than I'd liked doing anything with any of the other guys I'd dated.

I broke it all down and focused on one thing at a time. First, I'm going to heal up, get through the physical therapy, once I get into the swing of things with that I'd worry about college. Online classes were looking like my best bet, then so on and so on. I'd have my brother, I'd have Rogue, and the support of the Professor, and even if it didn't work out with Pyro I'd be fine. But don't ask me how I'm going to fix the Brotherhood problem, I'm still kind of hoping a brilliant idea will hit me.


	21. Chapter 21

Bobby was beginning to become a bit of a problem. He'd flat out level me with glares if he saw me, which honestly made me want to crawl under a table. I mean, c'mon. I know he don't like Otto and he really don't want Pyro here and I guess he doesn't like me either but did he really have to pout about it? Pyro and him weren't getting physical since the first day, but there had been a few close calls. Rogue had let me know Otto was so lucky; Bobby had been giving him a really hard time in training. So much so that at one point it broke out into a full on fight between the two, Bobby had gone all ice and my brother had broken his hand hitting Bobby before Gambit could break it up.

When I asked Rogue why Bobby was acting this way, she told me it was mostly because of Pyro. That after Pyro left for the Brotherhood the two's relationship had gone down hill. I asked PYro about it, hoping maybe he could settle things down a little; I got a colorful remark about what Bobby was and what he could go do with himself. I decided to leave it alone. I didn't even try to ask Otto if he could talk it out with Bobby, he had a broken hand to remind him of why he didn't like the jerk.

So I was sitting in Pyro's room thinking over what I should do to kind of patch things up so they were tolerable with Bobby. I was sitting cross legged on his bed across from him, struggling to paint my nails. He was leaning back against his headboard, watching me and flicking his Zippo.

"You know this stuff is flammable." I murmured, concentrating on keeping my painting neat.

"Why are you doing it anyway?" He kept staring at my fingers, still flipping the lighter open and closed.

"Because." I couldn't improve the way anything else about me looked just then. I'd been going without make-up and wearing mostly sweats because they were easier to get on and off.

"It stinks."

I didn't say anything as I switch hands. If I was careful not to move my arm I could paint without bothering my injured shoulder.

Maybe I could just talk to Bobby. Maybe get him to knock it off. Would he even listen to me? I doubted it. He wasn't as openly threatening to me as he was to them, but he'd made it clear we weren't friends. I heaved a sigh. This just didn't look promising. Maybe I could go to the Professor? But there was no way he didn't already know; he was just probably worried about other things. There were plenty of other things to worry about.

Did Bobby think this was really helpful with the mess we were all in?

My thoughts went from that to why he hated Pyro and Otto so much, then to how Otto was trying to see mutant and humans differently for my sake. My mind went leaping from one thing to the next and it didn't take long to wonder if Pyro still felt the same as he had.

"Hey, John?"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw him look up to my face.

"Are you…" I paused to study my handy job, before continuing. "Do you still hate regular people?"

The clicking and snapping stopped.

"Yes."

"All of them?"

"Yes."

He starting flipping and closing the lighter again.

I closed the pink nail polish. "You like me." I finally looked up at him.

Pyro's grin was slow and suggestive. I think he was just trying to distract me with it. Wasn't going to work.

"If you can like me, you could like more." He had to realize we weren't all bad.

"No."

"Why?" I wanted more than a quick yes or no.

"Because." No explanation.

"John." I sighed. "That's not an answer."

"So."

"You wouldn't even try?"

"Why would I?" He looked at me like I'd just suggested something crazy.

"Because." I thought for a second. "Because I did it. You can too."

Pyro sat up fast, a leg bent at the knee the other hanging off the bed. "You aren't a mutant."

"I know. I-"

"No. You don't know." He said sharply.

I paused, a little surprised by the look on his face, but still managed to hold his gaze. "You won't even consider it? I mean I'm not asking you to be friends with everyone. I'm just thinking maybe a little more tolerant."

He rolled his eyes, and that snapping and clicking started again. "Don't preach tolerance to me."

"I'm not preaching. But I think you aren't being very fair."

"Fair?" He scoffed. "I did try. Once. I'm not doing it again."

"What happen?"

"Nothing." The answer was quick, automatic.

"Yea right."

He glared and rested his elbow on his bent knee.

"I know I don't have to remind you that I've had some bad experiences with mutants." I raised my eyebrows at him, waving my hands to dry my nails quicker. The polish was that sixty second fast drying stuff, but I wanted to be sure it was completely dry before I touched anything. "Matter of fact you gave me a couple of those bad experiences."

Oh boy if looks could kill, I'd dead as a door nail. "You're going to throw that in my face?"

"No, but stop acting like the whole population of normal people did you wrong."

"Get out."

"No." I stopped waving my hands around, and dropped them into my lap.

"Yes."

"You want me out you'll have to carry me, and if you try to do that you'll hurt me and I swear I'll scream so dang loud the whole school will hear me. I promise kicking me out isn't worth the trouble."

I could see him weighing the pros and cons of that.

"Look. I don't like fighting with you." I changed tactics, dropping my argumentative attitude would help. "I'm just saying that I haven't always had good experiences with mutants, but that hasn't made me hate them."

Pyro looked up at me. "After I became a mutant, they were all bad experiences with humans. None of your kind showed me any tolerance." His eyes bright and angry.

I let that sink in. "What happened?" How bad was it?

He smirked, sarcastically. "We aren't doing this." He leaned back against his headboard, and shut down.

I checked my nail polish making it sure it was dry, biting my tongue. I wasn't going to push it, I wanted to know but I didn't want to drive him away. He was already mad, and anything more about that would just make it worse.

"So I guess then, the only question I guess I have left is then why me?"

He frowned a little.

"I mean you keep saying that, but…" I shrugged. "It doesn't make sense." I mean I wasn't special. I was normal as it could get.

"Do we have to do this?" He sounded like he'd had enough.

"Yes. Yes, yes."

"Why?" He snapped.

"Because."

"Because isn't answer." He said mockingly.

_Ugh. _"You don't give me anything. You tell me nothing. You don't let me in; I'm always left wondering what's going on in your head. You might think your being cool, but really John, it's just frustrating." I ranted at him.

He had stat back up, one leg on the floor still and the other bent at the knee.

"I'm not asking for commitment. Or an I love you. Or you're first born. I just want a damn answer. Is that really that difficult?" Give me something real here.

"I don't know okay?" He ran his hand through his hair.

"Try John." I pushed, because nothing about this made sense. Here was this mutant terrorist that hated normal people, but who went out of his way _not_ to hurt me when he touched me while I was all banged up. He didn't add up.

He shook his head and looked up at the ceiling. "You're this girly girl, and you're such an airhead sometimes and you've got this accent that makes me want to laugh sometimes."

Did he just tell me he thought I talked funny? He does not want to go _there._

"You aren't my type." He glanced up at me and added, "I used to laugh at girls like you."

Why, oh why, had I opened my mouth and asked for an explanation? My face heated up with embarrassment, wondering what his point was.

"But you're probably the first human who hasn't acted like I was anything but a person, even after, you know, the kidnapping thing." He paused, then shrugged. "And I think you're hot."

I ignored the last comment and focused on what he'd said before the last part.

"What do you mean I'm the only human that's treated you like a person?" I frowned, concerned.

"Forget it." He said quickly, and by the look on his face he was uncomfortable. He started flicking the lighter in his hand, letting a flame dance up before killing it.

I know part of that was his fault, because he was so threatening acting toward regular people, but still, I knew it couldn't have all been him. I was betting when he first discovered his powers or not long after is when his hatred for normal people was born. And I somehow doubted that was not his fault, at least not all of it.

"Do you not have any family that is okay with you being a mutant?"

"Drop it Bell." He was staring at me and I don't think he realized that the lighter's flame grew about three sizes.

I dropped my eyes down to it and he finally noticed it.

"I'm sorry." I said, deciding to back off. I wasn't afraid of him hurting me, but there was no need to make him want to.

I watched as the flames formed a ball in the hand that wasn't holding a Zippo, then as he twirled it around in the air.

"Do you really want me to go?" I asked.

The flames swirled around for a second before disappearing. Then Pyro looked at me as he let his hand drop, and he finial shook his head no.

I scooted forward and hugged him. At first he was stiff and didn't return it, but after a moment he relaxed and wrapped an arm around me.

I couldn't help but to think about how messed up we were. There was just nothing we had in common, how crazy was I that I was holding a mutant terrorist or that I wasn't even the least bit intimidated by him?

"Wait, you think I talk funny?" I lifted my head off his shoulder and frowned at him.

He smirked at me. "Especially when you're mad."

"You must like it then, because you do your best to make me mad any chance you get." I dropped my head back down to his shoulder.

Pyro flipped open his Zippo and brought out another flame to play with.

"Don't catch me hair on fire." I warned him.

"I know what I'm doing." He muttered.

I eased over a little more to lean into his side and not his chest, putting distance between me and the fire.

"I thought I didn't scare you." He sounded amused.

"_You_ don't. Your fire worries me." I corrected him.

He seemed to think that was funny and the flames grew.

"Stop being a jerk." I inched back more.

"Don't be a baby."

"I'm not." I defended myself. "I just don't want all my hair to burn off before you can get it put out. Being bald would complete this horror film reject look I've got going on." I was referring to my busted up face.

He laughed, and the flames shrunk down into a more reasonable size. I didn't protest as he pulled me closer, careful not to jostle me too much. I swear he could get me mad and frustrated as all get out, or kiss me until I couldn't think straight, but the way he was so gentle when he touched me, making sure he didn't unintentionally hurt me was what really got me. I don't think he even realized how sweet it was, and even though I wasn't going to say anything, because knowing him it would probably embarrass him, I appreciated it.

I didn't even realize I'd drifted off until Pyro was telling me to scoot over for him and pulling a blanket up around us. Part of me knew I should get up and go to my own bed, I'd never slept in the same bed with a guy before (aside from my brother, but that doesn't even count) that this just didn't _look_ good for me to be having a slumber party with Pyro and this was a school and what kind of example was I setting for the students? But the light was already off, and I was still mostly asleep, and he was warm and I was comfortable and all we were doing was sleeping. The most scandals things happening was his arm wrapped around my middle. Hell, there wasn't even a good night kiss.

I argued with myself over it until I'd fallen back asleep.

I woke up late the next morning, and only because Pyro was cursing about my cell phone's alarm going off, which was on the floor where it had obviously fallen.

"Oh no." I mumbled looking around and seeing Pyro's underutilized alarm clock. Only twenty minutes before the library opened, Ms. Monroe was bringing in a class first thing for a research project. _Crap, crap, crap._

"Where are you going?" Pyro looked at me like I was crazy when I stumbled out of the bed.

I glanced back at him trying to gather my wits. "I've got to get to the library." I picked up my cell phone and shut off the alarm.

"Skip it. Have a sick day." He leaned back on his pillow looking at me, bed headed and sleepy eyed. It looked way to tempting to just crawl back in.

"Can't." I told him as I spotted one of my shoes half way under the bed.

"You sure?" He gave me that slow grin that made me want to give in to whatever he was suggesting.

"Very." I said with a forced assurance I didn't have.

He shrugged. "Suit yourself." Then he rolled over on his side. "Shut the door behind you."

I found my other shoe and headed for the door, but paused to look back at him. He was already back asleep and not looking anything like the intimidating bad boy he presented himself as.

I rushed through a shower and still barely made it on time to the library. Ms. Monroe's class kept me busy for most of the morning. After they were gone and I was putting up the books that had been left out, Rogue came for a visit.

"So where were you last night?" She didn't even try hiding a smile.

I rolled my eyes. "Not doing anything you are obviously thinking."

"Ha ha." She leaned back against the bookshelf. "But you were with Pyro right?"

"Yes." I reluctantly admitted.

"Mmmhmm."

"Oh shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

"Help me put these up." I shoved a couple of books at her. We reshelfed and I listened to her subtle teasing. I was shaking my head at it, trying not to laugh, when she turned serious.

"You know honestly?" She watched me put up the last book. "I think he really does like you. I mean more than just a looking to score kind of thing."

"Really?" I asked, feeling my eyebrows knit together.

"As crazy as it sounds." She nodded. "Yea."

"Thank you for telling me that. Otto keeps telling me the complete opposite and John just has a 'no comment' policy on the subject. So thanks. That just made me feel so much better." I hadn't realized how unsupported I'd felt until just then.

She shrugged. "Otto is your brother and he doesn't like John."

"Do you?" I asked.

She frowned in thought. "I don't know. We weren't really friends before he left, but we hung out a lot because of Bobby."

"He doesn't talk about ever being friends with Bobby. He doesn't talk about being friends with Otto either even though I'm pretty sure they were at one point."

Rogue brushed back her white bangs, ones that I was secretly envious of because they just looked so cool on her. "I feel bad for him."

"Who?" I frowned. "Otto or Pyro?"

"Both." She kind of smiled. "But I was talking about John."

I could guess why she would feel bad for them. They didn't fit in here at all, they had the Brotherhood after them and they were both pretty clueless about what to do about it. Not that I had any bright ideas myself.

Rogue and I had lunch together, after which I walked back to the library on my own. I should have been paying better attention, but I'd pulled out my cell phone to check the time, and just as I rounded a corner I collided with someone.

A steadying hand was placed on my forearm, and I grabbed a hold of whoever it was too.

"I'm so sorry." I said instantly. "I wasn't looking. I-" I lost my voice as I saw who I'd run into. Magneto.

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Don't forget to tell me what you think!**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: My muses pulled me in another direction for awhile and I got a little stuck with what to do next with this story. Sorry about that, but I'm back! **

_Magneto._

His name was the only thing I could think.

I was staring up at him with horror and frozen to the spot.

That one single moment seemed to stretch on and on, into forever.

"Hello." Magneto smiled down at me, in a grandfatherly manner.

That broke the spell over me and I jerked myself back from him, a little sick that I'd touched him.

_Now what?_ I thought. _Should I scream?_ What if a kid comes looking? Did I try fighting him?

I glanced down at the stitches in my hands and knew I'd hurt myself more than him. Somehow bleeding on him just didn't seem very effective.

Mystique stepped in my line of sight.

It felt my heart stopped for a second before restarting. I glanced back and forth between the two of them. Magneto smiled at me and it looked so grandfatherly that I kind of thought about crying and telling him I'm sorry for causing him any trouble. Just please don't kill me.

Instead, I asked, "What do you want?" My voice only shaking a little.

Mystique smiled at that, like she thought it was funny.

Magneto didn't answer me, because right then the Professor came rolling in flanked by Ms. Monroe and Dr. McCoy, and I was pretty much forgotten after that. Well, except for Mystique who kept looking at me like she wanted to finish what she'd started.

Magneto wanted to speak with the Professor, in private of course. The Professor wasn't happy about this but he had Magneto and Mystique follow him, and Dr. McCoy pulled up the rear. Ms. Monroe hung back for a moment.

"Are you okay?" She touched my shoulder lightly.

I nodded. "Think so." Just, you know, feeling scared as hell.

"Good. We'll deal with this; you just stay out of sight."

I nodded again and we spilt ways. I went first to Otto's room but he wasn't there, then Pyro's but he wasn't in his either. I decided to wait for him/hide from Magneto in his room. I didn't want to be alone, and would have gone back to mine and Rogue's room to check for her, but I knew she had a class at this time of the day.

I sat down on his bed, trying to hold back my terror. What if Magneto came here to fight? What if he tried to make Otto or Pyro leave with him? What if just wanted to kill them? Or have Mystique sneak off while Magneto kept everyone busy and she finished me off? I didn't stand a chance this time of escaping her.

God! I was so helpless and useless. I was hiding while everyone else dealt with this. I kept getting myself into mess after mess and needing to be rescued. It was pathetic.

I was worried and scared and anxious. It felt like I waited days for Pyro to come back, but really it was only a few hours.

When he finally did, he looked surprised to find me waiting on him.

"I was kind of hiding." I explained with a shrug. I was sitting cross legged in the middle of the unmade bed clutching his pillow.

"Yea," He nodded, distracted, as he closed the door behind himself.

"Did you see Magneto?" I asked.

"Yea." As he glanced around the room, flipping his lighter a couple of times.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

Pryo didn't answer. Instead he grabbed a duffle bag out of his closet and started throwing clothes in it.

"What are you doing?" I asked slowly, confused.

He didn't answer me or even look at me.

I stood up. "John?" No, no, no. This couldn't be what it looked like.

He zipped up the bag, and then straightened up, his back to me.

"What's going on?" I was scared for a whole new reason now.

No answer, but he didn't move either.

"You're leaving." Not a question, because I could add things up.

He finally turned around and looked at me.

"That's it isn't?" I knew already, but I wanted him to say something, and when he didn't I pushed with a "Well?"

"Yea." Just that one word sounded like he was spoiling for a fight.

"Why?" I asked, keeping my voice level, refusing to argue this time.

"Because…" He shook his head looking around. "I don't want this."

That hurt. Worse than getting shot. He didn't want what? Me?

I cleared my throat. "So… you're going back to Magneto?" I was going to keep my composure, like my life depended on it.

"Yea."

"That's what you want? Because if he's making you-"

"No one's making me do anything." He cut me off, tone sharp. "I _want_ to go back."

"He hurt me." I reminded him, hoping maybe that should count for something.

"That's not going to happen again." He sounded sure.

I didn't say anything, and couldn't look at him. I hurt in a way I hadn't thought was possible before.

Pyro slung his bag over his shoulder. "Really Bell, what did you think was going to end up happening anyway, huh? You're a homo sepien and I'm a mutant. This would have never worked out." He adjusted the bag on his shoulder, before adding, "But it was fun right?" He winked like it was a joke.

Fun?

_Arrogant bastard._

Part of me was so angry I wanted to call him every dirty name I could think of and hit him and scream and just try to hurt him as bad as he was hurting me. Then the other half of me was thinking about crying and begging and promising him anything if he just didn't go. I couldn't make up my mind which one I should do so I said nothing.

He stepped up close to me and I could feel his warmth. "Don't hate me." He said it so quietly, I almost didn't hear him.

"You're leaving me." I said flatly, keeping my eyes trained on the chair in the corner.

Something was slipped in to my pocket, and he watched my face.

"Yeah." He breathed the word.

Then he was moving away, out the door, and gone.

Just gone.

XXX

I checked what he'd slipped in my pocket, and found that stupid, dumb, worthless lighter he was always playing with. I went to throw it across the room wanting to hit the wall so hard with it, it would leave a dent, but I regretted the action before I even did it, and so I just stomped my foot and put the Zippo back in my pocket. I didn't want to look at it.

I'd always suspected that things wouldn't end pretty between us. I just hadn't known how sudden it would happen. Like he'd just stopped it all before we'd ever really been given a chance. I hadn't realized just how attached I'd gotten to him until just then.

I wandered back to mine and Rogue's room, but before I even opened the door I heard Gambit's voice and backed away. I didn't want company, because I was pretty sure I was going to start crying sooner rather than later.

I ended up in Otto's room, which wasn't empty. He was there to open the door when I knocked.

"Hey." I said as he let me in the room.

"I guess you found out about Magneto's visit?" He asked me as he shut the door.

I nodded, brushing hair back behind my ear. "Yea, ran into him actually."

Otto's eyebrows shot up. "Did you?"

"Yea, I guess it was right when he got here."

"He didn't do anything to you did he?"

"No."

He shoved his hands in his jeans pockets as I sat down on his bed. "I reckon you've heard about Pyro then."

"I haven't talked to anyone." I shook my head. "I caught him leaving."

"Caught him?"

"Yep." Then I totally broke down.

And it wasn't one of those breakdowns that were just a couple of quiet tears and soft sniffles. I was bawling. Fat tears, runny nose, and hiccupping sobs.

Otto's eyes went wide, like he'd been caught unprepared.

"I just don't get it." I got out, despite hiccups.

"Um…" Otto sat down next to me. He looked uncomfortable, unsure how to handle this. I really hadn't been much of a crier before.

"I mean," hiccup, "he was telling me" deep breath "he wouldn't go back then he goes and just leaves." I sniffled, loudly.

Otto glanced around then reached out and grabbed a t-shirt from the chair that seemed to always be filled with clothes. He passed it to me. "It's clean. Dry your face off."

"Thanks." I wiped at my eyes with the super soft gray t-shirt.

"I think I know what happened." He said slowly, almost cautiously.

I looked up at him, surprised.

Otto picked up a corner of the shirt and wiped at my runny, and at the same time stuffy, nose.

I pulled back. "I'm not a baby." I muttered.

"Then do it yourself." He let go of the shirt, but it was already done.

"What happened?"

He looked like he was choosing his words carefully. "Magneto spoke to me and Pyro separately after he talked to Xavier. I don't know what he said to Pyro, but he told me that if I went with him he'd forgive me and he'd leave you be from now on."

"He said that to you?"

I watched him nod, his dark brown hair falling in his eyes, before he brushed it back with a hand.

"I think he probably offered the same deal to Pyro."

I just looked at Otto, as that sank in. "But you said no, right?"

"Obviously." He kind of snorted it.

"He could have done the same then. He didn't have to go, not if he didn't want to." The water works started up again.

"Look, Bell." He put a hand on my back. "I'm no fan of the guy, but he did right by you on this."

I looked at him like he was crazy. "By what! Leaving me?"

"Magneto isn't going to be after you anymore." He kept up for a good ten minutes explaining why this really was in my best interest.

"I don't care." I finally said. "He _left_ me."

Sighing, Otto rubbed my back, and gave up on trying to convince me this was for the best. He just let me cry on his shoulder as loud and messy as I wanted to.

XXX

So Pryo left.

I was miserable.

Later once the initial shock and first sting of rejection had worn off, I started to realize maybe Otto was right. That just maybe Pyro had done this to get Magneto to leave me alone, and once the hysteria left me I reasoned maybe that was what he'd been thinking when he agreed to go back with Magneto.

However, I was upset he had done this without a word to me. That he just up and left with me standing right there and not tell me _why_ he was doing it. He could have explained it. Not that I would have agreed, but maybe it would have hurt a little less.

Part of me questioned whether it was completely for me, though. Because I knew Pyro well enough that he still believed in what Magneto was fighting for. Pyro despised normal people and didn't have a problem with hurting them. So could I really believe that he hadn't wanted to go back?

_Stupid, stupid boy._ I thought as I lay in bed that night. Rogue was sound asleep in the bed next to me. She'd thankfully had been understanding and mostly left me to sleep it off earlier after Otto had brought me back when I'd worn myself out crying.

I pulled the Zippo out of my pocket and held it, though it was too dark to see. I kept thinking about the stuff he'd said to me about not going back to the Brotherhood. And the way he was sweet to me. And how he kissed. And how funny he was.

I squeezed my eyes closed, fighting back a fresh batch of tears. I made myself remember the stupid fights he liked to pick. How much of a bigot he could be. How arrogant he was.

It helped a little with stopping myself from crying but it didn't ease how much this hurt. Pyro had left me with no real explanation, and on top of being hurt I was angry. I was going to have to face everyone tomorrow and know that everyone knew what had happened.

I was still clutching his Zippo when I fell asleep.

**A/N: I really hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to review. If there is anything you'd like to see more of or less of, let me know. Maybe you'd like to see something happen in the story? I'm open to suggestions. I'll try to work it in. **


	23. Chapter 23

You know that saying about how things look better in the morning light? Well, not this time they didn't. It all pretty much looked about the same. Pyro was still gone. I was still hurt and angry and wishing he'd come back with a _gotcha! _

I wasn't going to let myself have any more dramatic break downs though. Nope. I wasn't going to fall apart and lay in bed day and night crying and hiding from the world. Even _if_ that's all I wanted to do. So the next morning I got up on time, feeling exhausted and rung out, but with my shoulders back, head up, and my water proof mascara on. I was prepared for the worse, you know, like people staring and whispering as I walked by, but instead thankfully things didn't play out like a bad teen movie. It was business as usual.

The Professor and I had a talk before I went to the library. We went over basically what Magneto had offered Otto and Pyro, and turns out my brother was right, the offers were the same. Magneto just wanted to get them back, and since Pyro left with them I wouldn't be bothered again. As far as the Professor was aware the deal was legit so I could expect to go on with my life. Which was great, right?

Except that I felt like someone had carved out my insides in exchange for this freedom.

When I was offered the day off I refused. I didn't want to wallow, even if I really did want to. As I was leaving the Professor's office I was stopped by Ms. Monroe in the hall she gave me a comforting hug as she told me there would be other boys.

Really Ms. Monroe? I thought about asking. Because here's the thing about that. Before I left home, if a guy wasn't making me happy then you know what I'd tell myself? There are other boys out there; I'll get a new one. When a relationship ended, I really didn't get too upset because there would be a replacement soon enough. Now? Now I was pretty sure that Pyro was a one of a kind thing and it's gone and it hurts and don't tell me I can find _another_ guy that will replace him. Because maybe I will get over this and maybe find someone else but they won't be John. Not even close.

Didn't say any of that to Ms. Monroe though. I just nodded along and went on my way. No reason to get rude when she was trying to be nice.

The library was at least relatively stress free since it was a Sunday. I got a visit from Rogue, who came in toward closing time. We went and got dinner, which Gambit showed up for. Not that I minded because he entertaining. After the dishes were cleared away, he pulled out a stack of cards, which set Rogue to rolling her eyes.

"No more tricks." She said. "I've seen them all."

"Hush." He shuffled them. "Bell has not."

"Tell him you're not interested. Otherwise we'll be here all night." She warned me.

I chuckled, but was too curious to tell Gambit no.

"She's just jealous." Gambit's head was bent, and he glanced at me over the tops of his sunglasses, those startlingly red on black eyes looking demonic and none the less charming.

"Of what?" She raised her eyebrow.

"Of me." He said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Rogue laughed.

I was counting on Gambit's card tricks to be that campy, see right through it kind of stuff, but I was wrong. He had skill and we really did end up sitting at the little kitchen island for some time as he awed me with his very impressive tricks. I barely noticed Otto wander in; I was so focused on trying to figure out how he was making a card turn into another one.

"I've never seen anyone as good as you are." I sat back in my seat after his last trick.

"Don't tell him that. His ego is swollen enough as it is." But Rogue had been watching intently too from next to him.

"Thank you _petit._ It's always nice to hear my talents appreciated by someone." A quick smile. "How about a game?" He looked over at Otto who was on the stool next to me, but the offer was for all of us.

"He cheats." Rogue warned.

Gambit sprouted off something in French as turned to her with an irritated look.

"You do." Rogue said calmly.

"I ignore her." He told Otto and me. "I won't." Not that he didn't, just that he wouldn't.

I smirked. Usually it was Gambit that got to Rogue.

"Who's in?" He asked, shuffling.

"Me. What are we playing?" Otto shifted next to me.

"Spades?"

"Sure." Otto nodded. "But Bell doesn't know how to play anything beyond Go Fish."

"How do you know?" I asked him, straightening up. "Maybe I became Georgia's champion poker player. You don't know."

Otto blinked in a lazy manner. "Did you?"

"No." I slumped back down.

Gambit was smiling again. "It's easy. You'll learn as we play."

They gave me a crash course of the rules, that I didn't follow very well, but I figured things out as we played. I even won a round, which isn't saying much considering how many hands we played. Gambit won the most, with Rogue and Otto about equal. It was fun though. Rogue and Gambit poking fun at each other, Otto even seemed to enjoy it.

XXX

Days passed. I was healing up, the bruises were fading and almost gone from my face and moving didn't hurt nearly as bad. However not enough time had passed to ease the sharp pain of Pyro's leaving. But all things considered I was keeping it together well. A lot of the credit had to go to Otto and Rogue and Gambit.

Rogue because she was always the best company, and when Gambit was around he kept things light.

Otto because he was around again and _trying_ to help fix our relationship. I still getting to know my brother again. Sometime it made me sad knowing that the person he used to be was gone but this new Otto wasn't so bad. A little more grown up, harder, yes, but not bad.

Then again, he'd sometimes look at me like he didn't recognize me and I'd remember he wasn't the only one who'd changed.

The two of us were watching the news, on another Sunday evening. It was surprisingly quite, but I supposed that was on account of how nice of a day it was and most of the students were out enjoying it. I didn't really pay attention when the front door opened and closed, but Otto looked up and I noticed he looked a little surprised. I turned to see who had come in and there was Logan.

Shocked, I glanced back at my brother and he gave me a slight shrug.

"Mr. Logan?" I grinned as I got up and started to move toward Logan. I was happy to see him back, and knew Rogue would be thrilled.

"Hey kid." He removed the stub of a cigar he'd been chewing on, and then looked me over. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Uh," I glanced down at myself remembering that I still looked rough. "I had a run in with Mystique." I muttered.

He narrowed his eyes. "That right?"

Not what I wanted to talk about just then. "What are you doing back? Not that I'm not glad you're here, but I just didn't figure you…you know, you wouldn't be back." I took a breath. "You staying? Rogue's going to be so glad to see you."

Logan looked away at Rogue's name, before moving past me. He didn't answer any of my questions but I wasn't offended. Logan wasn't much of a talker in the first place.

"She's not here right now, but I'll let her know you're here." I fell in step behind him, thinking that it was great that he was back, and how happy this was going to make Rogue. As I was walking past the couch Otto shot out a hand from where he sat and stopped me by grabbing my arm. I frowned at him, but he waited until Logan was out of ear shot before saying anything.

"He just got back. The last thing he wants is you tagging along after him."

"I," I looked in the direction Logan had gone. "I was just going to…I don't know. I was just glad he was back."

Otto rolled his eyes at me. "He needs breathing room. No one wants to be hounded the second they walk in."

I guess I hadn't realized how excited I'd gotten. "I wasn't doing anything wrong." I muttered, moving to sit back down on the couch.

"Didn't say that." He picked up the remote and flipped through channels.

"I should tell Rogue." I said it more to myself, standing up.

"She went somewhere with Gambit." Otto reminded me, absentmindedly. He was obviously unfazed with Logan sudden appearance.

"Right." I sat back down and pulled out my cell phone then sent her a quick text. My head buzzing over this, wondering where he'd been, why he'd come back. He was back for good. Right?

Rogue sent a text back about two minutes later.

"She's on her way back." I muttered.

"Yeah?" Otto sounded very uninterested.

I elbowed him. "I'm excited by this. I like Logan. Not to mention _really_ curious."

He glanced down at me. "Just let it go for now."

I leaned back into the couch. "I know I'm not a member of the team." I said referring to the X-Men, and kind of muttering. "And I'm not one of the important members of the staff here or anything but I'd still like to know what's going on."

Otto stretched out an arm behind me on the back of the couch and propped his ankle up on his knee, still flipping through channels. "You'll find out something soon enough. I'm sure Rogue will tell you after she talks to him."

I nodded, knowing that was probably true but still impatient.

I didn't see Rogue till I was going to bed, and she told me she didn't have any idea what was going on and clearly not happy. Her and Gambit had gotten in an argument over her being infatuatedwith Logan, his words not hers. I wasn't too worried about their fight though. Rogue and Gambit tended to have fights rather often but he usually smoothed things out within a few days, week tops, but it did mean that I shouldn't push it on asking too many questions.

XXX

The next day I was walking around putting books on my cart that had been left out by Kurt's class. Otto was leaning against the counter listening to me prattle away about something one of the students had done earlier that morning, when my phone started ringing on the counter loudly, reminding me that I'd forgotten to turn it to vibrate.

"Answer that would you?" I asked Otto, as I put more books on the cart. Normally the only person to call me was Rogue and so I assumed it was her.

Otto turned around and leaned over the counter to grab the phone from next to the computer and I kept gathering books.

"Hello?" He answered. There was a pause before he repeated himself.

"It's Otto." I assumed Rogue didn't recognize his voice. He was listening to whatever she was saying. "No. This is her phone." Pause. "She's fine."

I frowned, glancing over. Why would Rogue ask if I was okay? And why did Otto sound so short with her? He was always polite since she was my friend, and he'd gotten friendlier toward her lately.

…what if it wasn't Rogue? What if it was Pyro? I dropped the books back to the table.

"Otto?" I all but ran toward him. "Is that Pyro?" I tugged Otto's sleeve, but he didn't look at me. "Is it?"

A muscle jumped in his jaw as he listened to whatever the person was saying.

"I haven't-" He stopped, listened for a moment. "Here" The phone was shoved at me, which I took without thought.

"John?" I asked into the cell.

" Bell ? Baby? Are you okay?" Not Pyro's voice. It sounded like…no way…

"Mama?" I glanced up at Otto, shocked. He had his arms braced on the counter, staring down at it, with a dark look on his face.

"Bell! Are you okay?" My mother asked.

"Uh…" I glanced at Otto, really confused, but he wasn't looking at me.

"Bell." She caught my attention again, her tone urgent. "Bell, listen to me. We want you to come back home. We'll wire you money or come get you if need be. We don't care what you've done or where you've been, we just want you home. You've been gone long enough. It's time for you to come home and be safe. We only want you safe."

"I-I am safe." Whoa. I was totally confused. "Otto's-"

"Otto is a mutant." Her was sharp. "He's not your brother anymore Bell. You can't trust him, he'll turn on you. They're no better than animals. Now tell me where you are and we'll come and get you before it's too late. It's only a matter of tim-"

"Why did you call?" I cut her off. For one I didn't like what she was saying, and two I was totally at a loss on why she had called me.

"Because baby, you've been gone long enough. I can't stand this. You need to be _here_. Not with that mutant. It's not right."

I shook my head, but then remembered she couldn't see that.

"Listen, I know he's probably told you that he wouldn't hurt you, but Bell they are all liars. Otto isn't the Otto yo-"

I hung up.

Otto and I stood next to each other silently.

What in the world? Just out of the blue she calls me? What the hell? Where had that even come from?

"I didn't…" I shook my head, not sure what to say.

Otto glanced at me. The look on his face so angry.

"I'm sorry." I was apologizing for our mother. I didn't know what else to say.

His jaw clenched and unclenched, for a second I thought he might explode, get violent. Not that he'd hurt me, but the look on his face let me know he wanted to hit something. Then he shook his head, and the look was gone, but he still didn't say anything.

"I've talked to her once since I left." I felt like I needed to explain. The phone in my hand started ringing; I turned the whole thing off. "It was right after I saw you on the news with the Brotherhood. I called home; I don't know what I'd been thinking." I'd been upset and scared; I don't know what made me think that was an okay thing to have done. "I guess she kept my phone number off the caller ID." I never would have thought she's save it or that she'd actually call.

"Did she say anything to you?" I asked him after a moment when he didn't say anything.

"She asked if I you were okay. If I'd hurt you." He sounded angry, so angry.

"Are you okay?"

Otto didn't say any thing for a minute, and when he started to turn I figured I wasn't going to get answer. But then he stopped and finally looked at me.

"She called me a monster." He said it quietly and for that brief moment he looked so hurt.

I knew it didn't have anything to do with me really. That it wasn't my fault, but I still felt guilty and hurting because he was hurting. Even if my parents didn't want me (and despite what Mama had just said, if they knew about my life since coming here, they wouldn't want me) but I wasn't ever going to have to feel that kind of pain, having your own mother call you a monster was…cruel.

"I'm sorry." It was lame, but I didn't know what else to say.

Otto straightened. "It's fine." He brushed it off.

I moved forward and hugged him, ignoring the pain in my shoulder. Otto tensed, before hugging me back.

"She's wrong." I told him. "You are _not _a monster. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you." How could she really say that to him? It burned me up. Otto hadn't bothered her since leaving. I hadn't bothered her for months and months. Why did she do that?

Otto didn't say anything. He wasn't one of those touchy-feely guys, so it said something that about how hurt he was that he was letting me try to comfort him.

"I'm sorry." I said for the third time. "I don't know why she'd call."

He let go and stepped back. Running a hand through his hair he sighed. "Not your fault. I saw the number on the caller ID and answered it anyway. I knew better."

Should have known better than to answer a call from his Mama? That was just so fucked up.

Otto made some excuse about having something to do and was gone. By then it was lunch time and I had to meet with Rogue but it weighed heavily on my mind for the rest of the day. Why on Earth had Mama called? I turned my phone back on later and found two voice messages. I didn't bother to listen to them before I deleted them. I missed her, I missed Daddy too, but this not accepting Otto and hating him was unforgivable.

I went and found Otto to keep him company. I guess I'm lucky that he's not like me and didn't fall apart at the seems crying, because I would have no idea to handle that. I ended up getting suckered into playing video games. Not a word was spoken about the call and Pyro's name wasn't brought up once. No point in picking at our wounds.

I went back to my own room later in the night, my thumbs feeling cramped. Rogue wasn't there, and I assumed she was with Gambit. I got into bed, still feeling upset over that call, but my thoughts turned to Pyro again, like they always seemed to do.

I wondered if he was okay, if he even regretted the choice he'd made. Did he miss me? Even a little? I didn't know if I'd ever see him again, and I hated the idea of it. Didn't matter if part of me was still angry that he'd left the way he had. I reached into the nightstand by my bed and pulled out his Zippo. I missed him so much. Nothing about this situation felt right. Nothing at all.

**A/N: There is a song that I listen to when I write about Pryo and it's Mayday Parade's cover of "When I Grow Up." I saw a youtube video about Pyro with this song and now every time I hear it I think of Pyro. It just seems to fit. Not that any of what I just said was relative to anything. lol.**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: I took this chapter down and cleaned it up a little. Not much has changed; I added a few lines here and there, but still basically the same. Thanks for the reading and the reviews ya'll leave. I appreciate them so, so much. **

I had a lot of issues I was working through. I was still trying to pick my life back up. I was looking into different online oppositions for college, and was saving up for another apartment. My shoulder was healing and I'd gotten my stitches out, and Otto and I were doing better. Pryo leaving seemed to be the one that kept bothering me the most and it was really the only one I couldn't do anything about. However, I could now add another to that list. My parents, specifically my mother.

The calls just kept coming and coming. As the days passed I started to think about cutting the phone off altogether. It was only a prepaid I'd kept for emergencies, after all. I wasn't answering the calls, but I had made the mistake of listening to a few of the messages left. Mama usually kept saying that she just wanted me to be safe and come home. It was when my Daddy finally left a message that I got really upset. He'd only left a few simple words, but it made me homesick. After all this time and all the things that had happened, I was surprised that I still missed Georgia.

I didn't tell Otto about any of this. It wouldn't be fair to level that kind of pain on him when he was just coming around again. Why remind him of the two normal people who had let him down so badly? No. I wasn't doing that if I could help it.

Turns out, though, I should have cut the phone off, because a week after the first call he found out. I was playing video games again with him, loosing badly might I add, when my phone started ringing. I hit the ignore button, but it didn't take but a few minutes for them to call back.

"Who's that?" Otto asked.

"No body." I said, forgetting about his lie detector abilities.

He hit pause and snatched my phone up from where it had been sitting on my knee. I lunged for it, but he flashed across the room.

"No the hell…" I stomped a foot down frustrated. "That's not fair! You don't get to take my phone. I'm allowed to have any privacy?" I wasn't nearly as annoyed as I was afraid of him seeing that number. "What makes you think you can do that?"

He was looking at the caller ID, mouth in a thin line. "It's from home." He glanced up at me. "You don't want to talk to them?" He didn't sound upset or anything.

"No." I crossed my arms over my chest. I felt guilty all over again that I was getting calls from them.

"Do you know what they want?" He glanced back down as the stupid thing started to ring again.

"Me to go back." Can't lie to him anyway.

"You don't want to?" His face look guard, his tone was even.

I rolled my eyes, trying to make it sound like it wasn't that big of a deal. "We've been over this already. I'm not going back."

"It'd be easier on you." He reasoned. I was having trouble reading him just then. He didn't seem mad or upset or anything like last time, but I had a feeling he was keeping his emotions in check.

"Let's not go there." Easy? Sure. Happy? No. "I've got to get a new number or something." I muttered.

Otto flashed back over to where we'd been sitting and I took a seat. My phone was tossed back to me before we picked up our controllers. He tried reasoning with me to at least think about going back. Reminding me of all the trouble I'd gotten into with Magneto, but I refused to hear it. I made up my mind that I'd have the phone cut off the next day. I would effectively shut the door on my old life.

Otto warned me against it but the thing about it was we saw this differently. I think despite hating our parents, he still understood that they'd be open to taking me back because I wasn't a mutant and he saw that as a way out of the line of fire that I kept ending up in. But I also think deep down, he wanted that life back. The not having to look over his shoulder and being hated for something he had no control over. He hadn't gotten the choice to stay or go, he'd been thrown out, and it had hurt him.

I, on the other hand, had chosen. When I looked back I on the time I left home I wasn't hurt by the memory like I was betting he was. When I remember it, I'm reminded that I'd had the courage to leave it all behind.

"How did they find out about you?" I watched as my player died helpless on the screen from a zombie attack. Again.

He didn't answer immediately. "My powers were even more erratic back then. I didn't start to get a real handle on them until Magneto found me." He reached over and pushed something on my controller after my guy finished dyeing and then had me ready to go again. "Anyway I was walking down the stairs, going to the kitchen when I flashed in there without meaning to. Mama was there, and I panicked and lost control. I started flashing back and forth from the stairs to the kitchen. Mama screamed, Dad came running in there. It took a couple of minutes to stop flashing back and forth, after that you saw the rest."

I shook my head. That night was the turning point to everything. No matter if I'd stayed or left this would have never been right again, because things were already changed, forever.

XXX

I finally broke down and called them back after I left Otto.

Mama picked up on the second ring.

"Look." I started before she could say anything. "I know you're worried but I'm not coming back home." No reason to beat around the bush.

"Bell, I know he's making you say that. He's got you brainwashed."

I rolled my eyes. "No he doesn-"

"I spoke to someone. She called and told me all about what's going on. Now just listen to me. Daddy and me are going to find you."

"Wait, wait, wait." I closed my eyes thinking. What was she talking about? She'd spoken to someone? "You talked to someone? Who?"

"That's not important. What's important is that we know now that leaving wasn't really your choice. Otto made you do it."

"Whoa. Okay. Wait a minute." I was trying to wrap my head around this. "You need to tell me who you talked to."

"She asked us not to give out her name. That Otto would-"

"Otto isn't going to do anything. Otto isn't doing anything now." I waved my hand around, though there was no one to see, getting a little defensive for Otto's sake."And for the record Otto hasn't made me do anything. I'm perfectly capable of thinking for myself. Which I have been doing."

"I know-"

"No Mama," I sighed heavily. "You don't know. Leaving was my decision and everything after that has been my choice as well." I paused. "I'm going to cut this phone off tomorrow. I'm not going to call you again, ever. I'm sorry. I miss you and love you, but I can't…" I cleared my throat. I was getting choked up. This was my Mama that I was telling this to. "I have a good life here and I'm happy. I'm going to college and I'm working and taking care of myself." I couldn't believe I was crying.

"You can't trust Otto." She warned.

"You know, I don't know what this person told you, but I want to set this straight." I couldn't let her think Otto was hurting me. "Otto isn't going to hurt me. And another thing, I went looking for Otto. He's tried to make go back but I won't. He wasn't around when I left; he wasn't around when I started making this new life. I did all this without him and if he ups and leaves I'm still not going home because I'm happy here. And if the truth be told ya'll wouldn't want me back."

She went to say something in response but I cut her off again. "I love you. But I'm going to hang up now." I cut the call, and quickly wiped the tears away.

I was cutting ties with my parents and the rest of the family for Otto, and while I knew it was the right thing to do, for _both_ of us, it still hurt. I'll admit that I was sad and a little frighten. But I could never just leave Otto with no one. It didn't matter what he'd done or what he will do. Otto was still my big brother. End of story.

After taking a few minutes to regain my composure I hunted up the Professor. Something wasn't right about this. Who had spoken to my parents about Otto and me? When I told the Professor about it he even said something was off, and he'd look into to it. I admitted to him about what was going on, that my parents weren't the most accepting. He told me understood and I can't say if he really did or not but he didn't seem to hold it against me so I just let it go.

When I got back to our room Rogue was there grading papers.

"I found out why Logan's here." Was the first thing out of her mouth, she didn't even look up from the test and red pen in her hands.

"Yea?" _Finally! _I'd been dyeing to know. When I sat down on my bed I pulled off my shoes.

"He came to let Jean and the Professor know about a lead he found on Scott."

"Scott's who again?" I asked. I remembered the name, but nothing else.

"He used to live here and was Jean's boyfriend and the Professor's second." She started in on another test with that red pen.

"Right." I remembered her telling me about that. "So Logan's found him?"

"We thought he was dead." She didn't answer. "He and Logan never got along because of Jean." She bit her lip. "But no, Logan hasn't found Scott, but he thinks Scott is alive."

"Oh." I didn't really know what to say. "I guess that's good of Logan to tell them. From what you say it sounds like the two of them weren't friends."

Rogue smiled like she was remembering something. "No. They weren't."

After a couple of minutes of chitchat I told her about what was going on with my parents. Like how out of left field their sudden interest was and how upset they made me and how I don't think I could really go back even if I wanted to. Too much change had occurred. I had learned too much. Then she admitted that there were times she got homesick too, but maybe it was more just missing how simple things were before she became a mutant. I thought about that for a moment.

"Yea. I miss it too sometimes, but...I think I've done more things here than I would have ever done back home. Like college? Never." I shook my head. I'd had no interest in school at all.

"True. Getting kidnapped by mutant terrorist would have been a low risk, and getting shot probably wouldn't have happened." Rogue pointed out with a laugh.

"There is that." I laughed too. I glanced at my toes and the purple polish on their nails and wiggled them. "But…" I grew serious."If I hadn't left home I'd have never meet Pyro or anyone like him." It was the first time I'd even mentioned him since the day he left. "I know it probably wasn't the healthiest relationship or the even sane to have been involved with him, but it's not something I regret." Maybe I sounded like a dreamy eyed love sick idiot but the truth was I'd do it all over again.

"Did you love him?"

I frowned. "I don't know about that." I admitted. "But I think I could have." It was the closest I'd ever come to it before I realized. The other boys I thought I'd loved before I now knew were just a joke. Thinking about him still hurt but that grief like feeling wasn't at the forefront of everything, but neither was feeling happiness. There were still moments that it would hit me hard and bring tears to my eyes.

"What about you though?" I asked wanting to stop talking about Pyro.

"What about me?" She was looking at the test in front of her.

"Do you think you would have meet Gambit if you had never left home?"

She didn't have to think about it. "No."

I smiled. "Why not? I mean it's not like Louisiana and Mississippi are all that far from each other."

"I was from a small town, had only known that kind of life, but Remy…" She shook her head.

"But what?" I asked.

"This is between us right?" She looked at me, expression dead serious.

"Yea." I said slowly, nodding.

"He never really talks about his life before coming here, but that time we touched I got some of his memories, right?"

I nodded again.

"They were all pieces, fragmented, like moments. Like I'm just seeing small moments and nothing's consecutive. That's how it works sometimes. I couldn't really piece anything together, but…"

She was killing me here.

"I don't know how to explain what I saw." Rogue continued. "I saw family in one and a lot of violence in others. There were flashes of other women he'd been with. But there's these two moments with the same woman in them. She was blonde and gorgeous and telling him I love you in one and in another crying."

I frowned, not sure what to think.

She shrugged. "I don't know what to make of it. I think about asking him about it, but then the little piece of him that's in my head tells me that I really _don't_ want to know."

A few moments passed and I chose my words carefully. "You know, I like Gambit and I trust him, as a friend you know? As far as I've seen he's a good person, and I don't doubt that he's done things. He's had to have ended up here for a reason, right? It wasn't like he needed to be taught how to fight or anything, so that makes me think that he's had to learn it for a reason." I was rambling, but I did have a point. "I guess what I'm saying is that maybe that life is behind him. I mean I can't brag about my past, I was pretty anti-mutant, remember? And Otto, well who the hell knows what all he did with the Brotherhood. But both of us are here and making a new start. I get the feeling that a lot of people here have some sort of past. Am I even making sense?"

She smiled. "Yea. I get what you're saying." Her face went serious again. "That woman…she was important to him."

I bit my lip. "Just don't worry about it for now. If you two stay together, I'm sure it'll come out eventually, and if ya'll don't? Well what difference is it going to make if you don't know all his dirty secrets?"

Rogue frowned at my words."I guess it wouldn't it."

"Right. But could you do me a favor?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"Don't get rid of him anytime soon, okay? I like looking at him."

She threw her pillow at me, and tried not to laugh. She really didn't have to worry about anything. Gambit was hers and I'd never cross that line. Plus, I could tell he only saw a kid when he looked at me. After I tossed the pillow back to her I tried to reassure her that the woman was most likely in Gambits past and there to stay. I don't think I really convinced her though.

XXX

I _needed_ clothes.

What I'd bought before Mystique's attack had been lost and I was wearing sweats and what Rogue had let me borrow. I knew the safest bet was to ask Otto to tag along, in case of a repeat of last time but I was feeling a little rebellious and snuck out on my own.

I reasoned that I was only testing the waters, seeing if Magneto was keeping his word about leaving me alone. I took the bus, like I used to before I'd gotten a car and headed into town. And it was great. I hadn't left the school since I'd been attacked and before that I'd always had someone with me. Honestly I was tired of being babysat. Yes, I knew it was reckless and kind of stupid but I was missing my independence, and tired of feeling like I was incapable of taking care of myself. I spent more money than I'd intended into but that was par for the course. It was just great being alone. I made it back to the school at close to ten that night, and Otto was waiting on me.

"Where have you been?" He looked kind of mad.

"I went shopping." I lifted up the bags in my hands.

"Shopping?" He looked at me like I'd lost my mind.

"Yea. I needed clothes."

"You didn't tell anyone. Someone should have gone with you. Wha-"

"I'm not arguing about this. It's already done and everything's fine."

He opened his mouth but I shook my head. "No. No arguing." I walked past him heading for the stairs.

Otto glared at me. "What if-"

"_Otto_." I turned back to look at him. We were not going to fight. I refused.

"Fine." He snapped, then vanished.

I went on up to my room glad he'd let it go, and feeling pretty damn good that I'd not been babysat. I got everything put away and hunted him up again. I had something for him.

"You're not pouting are you?" I asked when he ignored me. We were in the gym and he was taking using the punching bag. The plastic bag with the surprise was hooked over my wrist, but he didn't pay attention to it.

"I don't pout." He shot me an ugly glare.

"Sure." I laughed.

Then I noticed Kitty watching Otto, and not in the same way she'd eye me, like I was some unwanted intruder. Nope, little Miss Kitty was totally checking my brother out, and when she saw me giving her the evil eye she tripped up on the treadmill she was using, face bright red because she knew she'd been caught. _Ha-ha. Bitch._

Wasn't she one of the ones who'd been giving Otto a hard time though? Why in the world would she be interested in him? Whatever, I decided. Otto has more sense than that.

"I got you something." I held up the bag that I'd been holding.

"What?" Otto really didn't sound interested.

"A new video game. But you've got to be more excited than that." I pulled it out of the bag.

He stopped hitting the punching bag and finally looked over, and I passed it to him. It was the one he'd mentioned wanting awhile ago and when I'd made a point to look for it as I was shopping. We ended up going back to his room to play it and he got over being mad at me. Although he did warn me that if I snuck out again without telling someone it was going to take more than a video game to make him happy.

Later, when I told Rogue about Kitty, she cracked up. I asked her about that time Gambit was caught coming out of her room and Rogue shook her head. That was one of the memories she'd gotten from him and as it turns out what Gambit had insisted had happened was the truth, nothing had been going on. Still, I wasn't worried because out of my brother and myself, I was the one lacking common sense when it came to the opposite sex. And I was just making something out of nothing.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: This was originally two chapters, but I combined them to kind of…well I guess you'll see at the end. I hope you enjoy it. **

The Professor had no idea who had spoken to my family. He suggested that I try to find out more, but I refused. There was no point to in my mind. He on the other hand thought differently and brought my brother in on it. I had to sit there while the Professor got Otto up to speed, and told Otto that he thought it was best if the two of us investigated this. He brought up the possibility that our parents could be in some kind of danger from whoever this mystery person was.

I threw a sideways glance at Otto, knowing he was probably not happy with me not telling him about all this myself. However, the only thing that betrayed him was the tenseness in him.

And that he was making it a point not to look at me.

"They won't speak to me, and even if they would I can't really say that I want to help them." Otto bluntly told the Professor.

"I understand that. However, I think it would be best if went." The Professor pushed.

"I don't." Otto wasn't giving an inch, his whole demeanor said so.

Nothing was said for several minutes, and I realized that's because the Professor and Otto were having a silent conversation. It irked me that I was getting left out but I bit my tongue.

"I truly believe it would be in _your_ best interest to return. Perhaps you will finally resolve some of the issues you still have." The Professor looked pointedly at Otto.

I looked back and forth between the two. Otto looked like he was grinding his teeth and the Professor had a look that left no room for arguing.

"Fine." Otto's tone was clipped.

"Bell ," The Professor looked at me. "I would very much appreciate it if you went with him." And it seemed more like an order than a request.

I frowned as I found myself nodding.

Otto and I walked out of the Professor's office, after deciding we'd wait until the next day to go. Otto looked like he needed to cool off before we went anywhere, and I could use the time to mentally prepare. I was dreading it. I was nervous and a little afraid. What if something extreme happened? Like…like I don't know, but why couldn't someone else go?

Yeah, not very mature of me.

Tomorrow came way too fast. We were going first thing in the morning, that way we'd catch them before work. Plus, I got the feeling that neither of us really want to wait any longer.

"Ready?" Otto asked. He still wasn't happy with me.

No. "Yes." I took the hand he offered and then we were standing in the front yard of the house we'd grown up in.

I glanced around, taking in everything and realizing that nothing had changed. It gave me an eerie feeling. Somehow it seemed like this place should have moved on, changed like I had since leaving. But no, it was all the same. There was the same white porch that stretched the front of the house, same plants, and two cars in the drive way, same flower beds and garden decorations. The neighbors were still a half mile in each direction leaving the house quiet and private, isolated. Same damn everything. It felt so familiar and so alien.

"Coming?" Otto threw over his shoulder. He was already headed for the front steps.

I jogged up next to him. His face was nothing but determination. Like all he wanted to do was get this over with. He reached up with no hesitation and knocked sharply on the dark blue door. I heard someone on the other side, and felt like I wasn't ready for this. I wasn't ready to face them. It was one thing to say I was cutting ties over the phone; it was another to do it to their faces. I was panicking, shaking my head, but before I could tell Otto to just forget it, that I couldn't and to take me back to the school the door swung open and there was Mama.

Otto was the first one she saw, even though we were standing side by side. I watched as her face went pale, and she put a hand at her throat; she was terrified. I was frozen to the spot, still quietly having my small panic attack, but when she saw and relief flashed over her features. She yelled out Daddy's name, telling him to come quick. Neither Otto nor me said anything, and she looked too shocked and frightened to say anything either.

Part of me understood. She was afraid of mutants, had never had any real contact with them as far as I knew, and it probably didn't help that Otto had changed. He was taller for one, well over six feet, and built. The scruffy beard made him look older than twenty-one. He could be scary looking if he wanted to be. And right then it looked like he wanted to be.

I was hoping he'd say something though, because at the moment I wasn't able to.

Daddy appeared behind Mama and his expression went from surprised to confusion to anger.

"What are you doing here?" He stepped between Otto and Mama. Aggressiveness and hostility were being directed at Otto.

Otto stood his ground, but I snapped out of my panic and stepped in front of him, like I was trying to protect him.

"He brought me." I held up my hands palms up, and was glad that I was able to think again.

Daddy looked down at me, like he wasn't sure about this.

"He isn't welcome here." He told me.

Let's just say that things kind of went downhill from there. Otto snapped something about not wanting to be here. Daddy said to leave, or he'd make him leave. Otto said not without a name. A whole bunch of accusations were thrown at Otto from both our parents. Mostly about having kidnapped me, and brainwashing me. I told them they were wrong. However I wasn't listened to, kind of like I was a child that didn't understand what I was saying. It was just one big argument. Voices were rising. I was getting frustrated. Everyone thought they were right and no one wanted to back down. When Daddy took a threatening step toward Otto I planted my feet more firmly to the ground, and put a hand back on Otto's wrist, even though he'd not moved an inch, I didn't want to take the chance. Not that Otto wasn't big enough to shake me off if he wanted to, but he didn't.

"Enough!" I shouted over everyone. They all stopped and the silence was a sharp contrast. This is what my family had been reduced to? Turn inside out and torn apart? My parents had been good, caring people. They had been great to us. Now? Now, I couldn't recognize them. This is what hate did.

I was trembling.

"We just want the name of who spoke to you about us." I said, trying to keep my voice level. My hand was still on Otto's wrist behind me, and while I could have let go I didn't want to. If there was any chance he decided to up and leave I didn't want to be left behind. And there was a small comfort to hang on to him like I was a little kid.

"Bell just come inside." Mama motioned me forward, but I stayed put. "We can talk about this."

"I just want the name." I demanded.

"We aren't going to tell you with him here." Daddy said.

"I _need_ to know who it was." I stressed the point.

"No." Daddy repeated himself. Mama shook her head, refusing.

"I'm not leaving without it." Otto's tone was low, almost threatening if I were honest.

I saw it in Daddy's eyes, despite the bluster, he was afraid of Otto. I felt sorry him. But I think his fear is what made him give in. "Raven. That's all she said her name was."

I glanced back at Otto, the name didn't ring a bell with me, but his face didn't change so I didn't know if it did with him or not.

"Thank you." I told Daddy.

"Leave." Daddy glared at Otto.

Otto pulled out of the grip I had on his wrist and his hand settled on my shoulder. It was time to go.

"Don't you take her." Mama's voice rang out.

"Wait." I pulled away. "Just give me a minute okay?" I asked, turning to look at him.

A brief nod and he backed off and went down the steps, waiting for me. I turned back to my parents and did my best to tell them why I was going back, and that Otto was no threat to me or them. They weren't convinced and insisted I stay. I refused and Mama went back inside, heavy door slamming shut. I told Daddy I was sorry and goodbye and that I loved him, but he wouldn't even look at me, much less say anything.

My heart was heavy as I walked back over to Otto, hooked my arm through his and we left Georgia.

We were in the Professor's office, but it was empty.

"You okay?" I asked Otto. I sure wasn't.

"Yea." He said, but I knew he was lying. If that had hurt me then I know it had hurt him. "You?"

"Yep." I said for the sake of avoiding any emotional out pours. Since Pyro's leaving I was more prone to crying and that wasn't what either of us needed at the moment.

Otto moved to the chairs in front of the desk and sat in the one on the right and I followed taking the one on the left. We were going to wait on the Professor.

We were both quiet for a few minutes, wrapped up in our thoughts.

"I didn't recognize the name they gave us. Were they telling the truth?" I asked; because I didn't like how lost in his own head he looked.

"Huh?" He glanced over at me. "Oh. Yea. It's Mystique."

Surprised, I wait for him to elaborate, but he didn't. "How do you know that?"

"That's her name, or at least a name she's gone by in the past. You didn't think Mystique was her real name did you?" He seemed agitated.

I shrugged. "I'd never given it much thought." I paused. "Do you think she'll hurt them?"

Otto only shrugged, like he really didn't care.

I heaved a sigh. "Why do you think-"

"I don't know alright?" He snapped.

Startled, I stared at him.

He sank down farther down in his seat. "Don't ask me what she's going to do or why she's doing something. I don't know."

There it was. That same cold indifferent look I'd gotten used to getting up until recently. I turned back to look straight ahead. Hands folded in my lap, back straight and confused. Not really sure what I'd done, or maybe this was just from what had happened with our parents.

A few more minutes ticked past, the Professor showed up, and I was asked to leave after only a few minutes. I was irritated, but went. Was I getting cut out of what to do next or did the Professor only wanted to speak privately with Otto for other matters?

I ran into Logan in the hall as I huffed my way back to my room.

"You've been keeping up with training?" He asked, causing me to stop.

"Uh…no?" Not if you don't count the physical theory. I somehow doubted Logan would accept that.

"Tomorrow. Regular time." He told me then turned and continued on his way.

I stood there for a minutes not sure if he was for real, but Logan's not much of a kidder so…I was back to training. That must mean he's going to be staying for awhile. That helped to improve my mood.

XXX

By the next day I still hadn't seen Otto again, and that was frustrating me. I found it unfair that I wasn't even allowed to know what was going on with my own parents. But also didn't want to complain to the Professor. Mystique was a problem for sure, but she was one I couldn't handle alone.

However, I had other things to tell Rogue and Gambit about at lunch.

"Logan 's going to start training me again." We were in the empty classroom Gambit used to teach French. Gambit a teacher was still a bit amusing to me.

"You're going to wish that you had been working out every day since he left." Rogue warned me.

I laughed. "I bet I will." I just hoped I could keep up.

"Remind him of your shoulder." Gambit said to me. "It'll do you no good to hurt it again."

"I intend to." For the most part my shoulder was doing fine, still could only move it so far, but it was healing.

The conversation went from one topic to the next. Gambit pulled his cards out, and was showing me how to do a simple trick, when I knocked over his open bottle of water.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Rogue." I said as she jumped up. Her lap and gloves were wet.

"It's okay." She tried to dry up some of the water. "I can change." She pulled off the gloves and rang them out as Gambit and I tried to clean up some of the mess.

"Hand me some of the paper towels from behind you?" I asked.

I wasn't looking and neither was Rogue I think, because Gambit had just told her to watch where she stepped when I grabbed the roll of towels. What a happened was unexpected and painful.

Next thing I know I'm looking up at Gambit.

"Bell?" He repeats it at least twice more before I realize it's my name.

I blinked, feeling dazed, and weak. It took another moment for me to realize that Gambit was all but cradling me and looking worried. Rogue was standing above us and had tears in her eyes. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what was going on.

"Bell ? Can you hear me?" Gambit pulled my attention back to him.

"Yea…" I frowned at him. "What's going on?"

Gambit's face relaxed. "We had an accident." He explained, gently.

"Oh." Must have been a hell of an accident.

Rogue looked upset. Like seriously upset.

"I'm okay." I told her, incase that was what had her worried.

"Of course you are." Gambit agreed readily.

It hit me suddenly what must have happened. I'd made contact with Rogue's skin, but didn't really remember it. Oh hell.

"I really am." I nodded, trying to be convincing. Maybe it would be believable if I got up?

"Up." I told Gambit as I tried to get my feet under me. I didn't want Rogue beating herself up about this. Her powers were her own personal nightmare, and when an accident happened it usually hurt her more than the other person.

I got to my feet, a little unsteady, but Gambit had a hand under my elbow just in case till I got my balance. "See?" I stretched out my arms to show her after he'd let go. "I'm fine." No way was I walking out of here yet though. Just standing was kicking my ass.

Rogue shook her head, said she was sorry then walked away.

I let my arms drop, not having the energy or strength to convince her better. When she was out of sight I turned to Gambit. "I think it would be a good idea if I went and saw the Jean."

He nodded his face serious.

I started for the door then stopped and leaned against the wall. "Maybe it's a good idea if I call Otto." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the new cell phone I'd gotten, but before making the call, I said to Gambit. "Don't tell her I couldn't walk out of here. She's going to be upset enough about this."

"Agreed." He flashed me a serious smile, if there is even such a thing and waited with me until Otto showed up then tagged along to speak with Jean about what had happened.

Turns out I touched Rogues bare hand when I went to grab the paper towels from her. It had taken Rogue a second to snatch her hand away, but that second had been enough to knock me out for a moment. Never would I have thought that such small contact would have packed such a punch.

Jean checked me over, said I'd be fine, just to get some rest and Gambit was gone after that. Otto took me back to my room so I could get into bed. I asked him to hunt Logan up and tell him I wouldn't make training today, and after Otto was gone I let my myself sleep.

It hadn't been a pleasant thing by any means but really? After getting shot it wasn't that bad. I would be fine, but I was more worried about Rogue. This put a new perspective on her powers for me, I had a much better understanding. And to think, Gambit risked this kind of thing just by being near her. Rogue could think what she wants about Gambit's seriousness, I knew after that little accident that Cajun was the real deal. I don't think I could commit myself to that kind of relationship. Not just the no touching thing, but the touching and dyeing thing.

Later, I was woken to someone speaking.

"She's fine." It was Otto's voice. I kept my eyes shut, not ready to fully wake up, and facing away from him, he only had my back. "She's just sleeping it off." He sounded like he was trying to be really nice to someone. What was he even doing in my room?

"No." It was Rogue.

"Look, don't switch rooms." His tone was quiet like he was trying to not wake me. "It'd kill her to think you're moving into another one because of what happened."

There was a pause with no one saying anything. I should have probably rolled over and let them know I was awake, but truthfully all I really wanted was to fall back asleep.

"If you just want a couple nights by yourself, take my room, but don't just up and leave. She loves being roommates with you and she'd feel bad and don't let this stupid thing stop you from being friends. Seriously, it was an accident and no one's worried about you hurting anyone."

"Fine." Rogue bit out, like she'd been worn down. "But I do want to stay by myself tonight."

"Understandable." He said. "I'll put clean sheets on my bed and hide the Playboys." It was a joke, the last part. I could hear the smile in his voice, but I couldn't help rolling my closed eyes.

It must have helped, because Rogue's tone was lighter. "Appreciate that." She paused. "I doubt anyone would care if you stayed here for the night."

"Thanks." A pause. "I'll go clean up for you."

I stayed still until I'd fallen back asleep. It was a few more hours before I woke up again. I sat up feeling exhausted, before I noticed Otto sitting on Rogue's bed barefoot, reading by lamp light.

"Hey." I muttered.

"Hey." He marked his page before setting the book aside. "How you feeling?"

"Tired."

"I bet." He swung his feet over the edge of the bed. "Rogue and me switched rooms for a night or two. I even changed the sheets and stuff so…yea. I'm kind of worried about touching anything." He flashed me a smile, but still looked like he was uncomfortable.

I gave him a small one back, glad he wasn't mad at me anymore for not telling him about what was going on with our parents.

"You think you could eat something?" Otto asked.

"Yep." I nodded. Now that he mentioned it food sounded appealing.

"Well come." He stood up and waited for me to, before teleporting us down to the kitchen, where he made me something. Obviously since leaving Georgia Otto's culinary skills had improved because he was able to cook up a couple of grilled cheeses.

It was later in the evening, though what time it was I had no idea, but it was quiet expect for us. While I ate I asked him about what had him and the Professor had talked about concerning our parents. Turns out, from what Otto said that they hadn't really spoken about it. When I pressed him farther, he clammed up, muttering something not wanting to talk about it. If I'd been a little bit more with it I'd have been pushier but really just eating had kind of wiped me out.

"Otto." I said as I stared down at my empty plate.

"Huh?"

"Was Rogue like super upset?"

"She wasn't happy." He said slowly.

I rolled my eyes. "I _know _that. But didn't she seem… mad maybe?"

"Why would she be?" He looked genuinely confused.

I shrugged. "I mean did she see something about me that made her want to not…I don't know…was it _me_ that had her wanting to switch rooms?"

"Who said it was her idea to switch? Maybe I wanted to have a slumber party?"

"Sure." I said flatly, resting my head on my hand while I looked at him

He scrubbed a had over his mouth, then scratched at his stubbly jaw. "I don't think it was you. I mean what have you done that's so bad?"

"I don't know…" I shrugged. Nothing came to mind. Although a few really embarrassing ones did. Like the making out with Pyro. That party Otto dragged me home when I was drunk and crying. The night Otto left hadn't been my shining moment. The times in middle and high school that I'd been less than kind to people. The few times I'd had sex. There were just something's I'd prefer to stay in the past.

"Don't worry about it. Rogue's made contact with people who've…lived a little more than you have. Now you ready to head back up? Jean said the best thing you could do was sleep."

I got up, washed and put my dishes away, then let him take me back up, where Otto looked uncomfortable as he looked at Rogue's bed.

"Switch with me?" He asked.

"Why?" I squinted at him.

"I feel like I'm intruding. It's not like Rogue and I are buddies. Plus I feel like Gambit's going to kick my."

I laughed. "He wouldn't."

"I doubt he'd like it." He muttered. "_I _wouldn't like some other guy sleeping in my girlfriend's bed."

Maybe he had a point. So I shuffled over to Rogues side of the room, while Otto got in mine.

"That's a great color on you by the way." I told him. My hot pink comforter with matching sheets and pillow case were pulled up to his shoulders. "Real manly."

"Smartass."

I laughed quietly as I settled down.

XXX

Two months passed, and my life kept moving forward. Rogue and I got over the incident, but we never talked about it. I enrolled in classes. Went back to training with Logan. Picked out a new apartment; which was even nicer than my last. Otto wasn't thrilled with me leaving the school, saying that it was too risky right now, but the Professor had assured me that it would be fine. I think Otto was just being protective.

I asked Otto to live with me, but he refused, saying it was best if he stayed at the school. I didn't question him on it, though I'd have liked for us to have lived together again like family. It wasn't like I wouldn't be able to see him whenever I wanted. However, I wasn't really sure why he wouldn't want to.

I was home from the school one evening, earlier than usual because Logan wasn't there and neither was Rogue and Otto. The X-Man team had gone off to…well I don't know, but it seemed important because most of them went instead of only a few like normal; even Jean went along.

I have to say I was a little envious. It would be kind of awesome to go off and do whatever it was they did. But as it was, I was at home, settled down on my new couch with my texts books and notebooks surrounding me, getting some extra studying done. It was getting close to ten at night when there was a sharp knock.

I paused, tense. Everyone that would pay me a visit was gone, and if they'd gotten back early, Otto wouldn't knock, he'd just pop in and Rogue normally called before she came. I slowly got up and cautiously moved toward the door, knowing full and well that Mystique was out there somewhere, still wanting me dead.

I peaked out the peep hole in the door. Leaned back and frowned, not sure if I was seeing right and took a second look. Yep, I'd seen right the first time. But there was no way that was _him_…it had to be Mystique.

There was another impatient knock.

I bit my lip as I tried to figure out what to do. This had to be Mystique in disguise. That blue, naked bitch just couldn't leave me alone.

But what if it wasn't?

I glanced around for weapon and went and grabbed the biggest knife I could find out of the kitchen. Then slowly unlocked my door, pulled it open, and faced Pyro.


	26. Chapter 26

Pyro's grin was cocky and familiar but as he took a step in I held my knife up, nearly poking him in the stomach.

I watched as his face went from surprise, to confusion, to pissed off.

"How do I know it's really you?" I was pretty damn scared, but like hell was I going to let him _or her_ know it.

He raised his right hand and flames danced up in my face. Startled I took several steps back, and nearly dropped my knife. They fire died away quickly and when it did I glared at him, sure that he was really himself. Mystique didn't have his powers.

"You didn't have to try to burn my eyebrows off." I complained, no longer frightened.

"You didn't have to try to stab me." He shot back, shutting the door behind him.

"I wasn't trying to stab you." I rolled my eyes. "I didn't know if it was really you."

"Afraid Mystique's going to come back and get you?" He asked mockingly.

"Yes." I snapped.

His face softened just a fraction. "She's not going to come back." I swear it was almost reassuring the way he said it.

I let my arms drop down to my sides as I let that sink in. "She spoke to my parents. Did you know anything about that?" I asked, doubting he did, but figuring I'd ask just to bring it up.

"Yea." He admitted, keeping a safe distance between us.

My eyebrows shot up. "What?" Was he serious? "You knew about that? And didn't tell me? What did she want?" I let my face show how unhappy I was about this little revelation.

"It was a last ditch effort to get you to go back to them, so that way you'd leave Otto." Pyro didn't even try to beat around the bush. It caught me off guard that I didn't have to fight him for a straight answer.

"Well…it didn't work." I muttered.

"Obviously." He snorted.

Silence stretched out.

"What are you doing here?" I finally asked.

"I was hoping you'd let me sleep on your couch for tonight." He said, hitching the duffle bag (that I was just noticing) up further on his shoulder.

Wait…had I hear that right? "Come again?" I leaned forward, like I was trying to hear him better.

He rolled his eyes. "I need a place to stay. At least for tonight."

"What? You want to sleep on my couch?"Was he for real? "You up and leave me the first chance you get, no contact in months, then show up unexpected asking to stay the night?" I waved my knife around, carelessly gesturing, as I spoke.

"Yea." He shrugged like it was no big deal.

"Are you serious?" There was no way he was.

"Look." He snapped. "I'm not asking you to take me back, or anything, except for a place to sleep for one night."

"What about the Brotherhood?" Again with my knife waving, which I noticed, he was keeping an eye on.

"What about them?" He asked impatiently.

"You're with them! I'm human remember? You can't be with me if you're with them, and you chose them!" I jabbed my knife in his direction.

"Give me that." He snatched my knife away, then set it down on the counter.

"Jerk." I didn't like him at the moment.

"Brat."

"Do you really think it's a good idea for you to be here?" I was being dead serious. I mean, really? Magneto tried to have me killed twice already, and I doubted he'd spare Pyro this go round if we were caught.

He sighed, looking tired, then muttered. "I'm not with the Brotherhood anymore."

"What? Why?" Shocking, to say the least.

"I was asked to leave." He wouldn't look at me.

I stared at him. "Asked to leave? You were kicked out?"

When he didn't look at me I started to laugh. Hysterically.

"It's not funny." He snapped at me.

I couldn't stop though. It was just too unbelievable. After all the trouble Magneto went through to get Pyro back and old bucket head just kicks him out? No way. And Pyro actually expected me to believe that?

When his glaring didn't ease off after a minute, I started to wonder and my laughing faded.

"You're serious?" I stared up at him, shocked.

"No, Bell. Magneto told me it would be cool if I came over for a slumber party with you of all people." His sarcasms lacked its usual bite, perhaps because he was so exhausted looking? "Do you really think Magneto would ever, in a million years, let me near you again if I was in the Brotherhood still?"

I shrugged, feeling a little stupid. "I don't know…"

"Well no." He bit out.

Another small stretch of silence passed with me feeling kind of like an ass. And that feeling increased when I began to work this out in my mind. Pyro, if he was telling the truth, was kicked out of the Brotherhood, and had come knocking at my door. But why _me_? When I thought it out some more I realized that probably because outside of the Brotherhood he had no friends, at least none that I was aware of. And family? I'm not sure he had any, not any that would lay claim to him anyway. What about the school? Well no real thinking was required there; he didn't want to be there.

"Forget it." He said turning away and opened the door.

"No!" I nearly yelled at it, pulling him back and closing the door at the same time. Not that I knew why I had done any of it so forcefully, I just felt panicked when he turned to go.

I had a hand on the closed door, and was gripping his arm with my other when I looked up at him. He was watching me, expression unreadable.

"I'm sorry." I started. "I just didn't think you were serious. It's just seems ridiculously for you to be kicked out after, you know, everything."And strange that Magneto didn't just kill him off. I swallowed, knowing I being kind of weird to still be holding on to him, and all in his personal space like I was. Especially when we weren't together like that anymore, but I didn't want to let go.

Pyro had no trouble shrugging me off, but he didn't back up any. I would have stepped away, but I was now between him and the door.

"Look. I just want a shower and a place to sleep. Is that a problem?" He was so tired looking, but trying not to show it I realized. He was looking down at me with an annoyed expression. Like I was the one who just showed up out of nowhere, asking for something.

I shook my head. "No." I wanted to touch him and hug him close and just put all this behind both of us because stupid me seemed to be able to forgive and forget everything when it came to him. "Bathroom is down the hall, first door on the right. There are clean towels on the rack."

Pyro let some of the tension drain out of him. His hand grabbed mine and gave it a light squeeze like he was saying thanks, but it was so quick it didn't give me a chance to really grab his or jerk away. He walked toward the bathroom, duffel still slung over his shoulder.

Taking a deep breath, I took a moment to pull myself together. After I gather my wits as best as I could I went to the couch and picked up all my books and put them away before going and grabbing an extra blanket and pillow. I busied myself arranging the couch as a makeshift bed, and tried to just not _think_. I didn't want to analyze this, didn't want to contemplate what this could mean, because I'd probably figure it all wrong anyway. Before I knew it Pyro was walking out the bathroom, hair still wet and slicked out of his face. Somehow it seemed like the effort of showering had drained the remaining energy he had left. It worried me a little, if I were honest.

"John?" I couldn't help the concern that crept into my voice. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He dropped his bag next to the couch, before actually looking at me. "Just tired."

"Ok…" I said slowly. "Want anything to eat? Drink?" I was trying here, because he wasn't looking good and he wasn't at all being the smart mouth I knew.

He shook his head. "You don't mind if I just crash now, do you?"

"No," I shook my head. "No. That's fine."

A nod then he was stretching out on the couch and pulling the blanket up to his chin. I hit the lights, and was about to head to my room when I stopped and turned back around. "Would you mind waking me up before you go?" There were a ton of things I still wanted to ask him. Like what happened for him to be kicked out of the Brotherhood, and now that I was thinking about it, how had he known where to find me?

"Sure." He mumbled, half asleep already.

I didn't believe him though, but figured that was going to be as good as it got. I'd have to try to be up before him.

"Bell?"

I stopped again. "Yea?"

"If I were to ask, would you take me back?" The question totally caught me off guard. It wasn't cocky sounding or angry, which were the only two ways I could think of him actually asking me that. Instead he sounded like he was honestly asking, but I decided to be far and give him the benefit of the doubt here. Pyro was probably just a little loopy from being so tired, and didn't have it in him to put up his usual front.

_Yesyesyes! _I wanted to say it, but I wasn't going to just give in to him. "If you wake up before me, and really want that answer, you'll wake me up to find out." I didn't want to play games but I wasn't going to just put it all out there to get hurt either.

His reply sounded like a grunt, and I didn't bother with waiting around for anything more, before I headed to my room.

**A/N: First off I want to apologize for how long it's taken me to update. Between work and classes I'm not left with a lot of free time, and then loosing the flash drive that held the original version of this chapter didn't help. It's a lot shorter than usual, and I'm also sorry about that, but I figured ya'll would still like to have an update. I'm going to try to make time for writing, because ya'll are simply awesome. **

**Secondly, I've been playing around with an idea. Maybe Otto getting his own story? It's not a definite thing right now, but something I've been thinking about for awhile, and kind of wondered what ya'll thought about it. **


	27. Chapter 27

I did eventually fall asleep, though it took some effort and I was awake at the crack of dawn. Instead of just rolling over and going back to sleep like normal I was up checking to see if Pyro had taken off while I was out.

Quietly padding into the living room I found him still there. Lying on his back, face turned toward the inside of the couch, my pink comforter twisted around his legs and covering his waist. His thin gray t-shirt had rode up just enough to expose a strip of skin between it and the blanket. I moved closer, staying silent, to get a better look at him.

Hair had fallen over his forehead; his face was relaxed, making him look younger. Thinking back on last night, I realized how exhausted he really had seemed. He'd been totally lacking his usual smart mouth and arrogance. How long had it been since he'd gotten a chance to rest? Had he needed to travel far to get back to Westchester?

Biting my lip I backed away. Pyro needed to rest, and I wasn't going to wake him up. However, no way was I leaving the room, because knowing him; he might just up and leave. So I picked up one of my texted books from where I'd left it on the coffee table the night before and I sat in the large cushioned chair that was a few feet from Pyro. I opened the book and got to reading.

Expect not.

I was way more interested on Pyro, repeatedly catching myself watching him sleep. That's not creepy at all, right?

It's just he was where my mind was focused. I was mixed up about how I felt about his return. Part of me was still hurt and angry over his leaving in the first place but I was also thrilled he was here, and totally unsure of what to expect from him now. Eventually though, all he kept doing was sleeping and I managed to keep myself on task with the book in my hands. For hours, literally, I sat there, while he slept. Lucky me, it was my day off, Thursday.I only noticed he'd woken up because he started moving, then yawned and looked over at me.

"Please tell me you haven't been sitting there all night." Pyro raised an eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes. "No." I tossed the text book onto the coffee table as I stood up to stretch.

"Whatever. You probably stayed up all night because you were afraid I'd leave without waking you up." He was grinning arrogantly at me.

"Hardly." I scoffed. He didn't need to know that some of that was true.

He sat up and swung his feet off the couch and put his elbows on his knees.

I sat back down and tried to think of something to say. It was an awkward silence that he didn't seem at all inclined to break and I had no idea where to start with all my questions. I decided to forget pleasantries altogether and dive right in.

"So. How'd you know where I was?"

Pyro, still looking amused, shrugged. "Why should I tell you?"

Ah, yes. He was defiantly feeling better. I'd be getting no straight answers without a fight. "Um? Because it's my house, and I didn't tell you how to get here."

"I know things." He pulled his duffle toward him and I watched him rummage through it.

Totally unimpressed with his answer, I asked went to ask _how_ he knew things, but he cut me off. "It's not like you're hiding." He told me finally finding what he'd been looking for, a lighter. "I just did a little looking. If you wanted to make it hard you should have tried moving out of town."

Okay. So maybe I had made finding me easy.

"You need to answer that question I asked last night." He pushed the button down on the red, plastic lighter, and when the flames danced up, started playing with it. I still had his Zippo, tucked safely away in the nightstand by my bed.

"What question?" I tried to remember what he was talking about, watching the fire.

"You know which one I'm talking about. It's the only one I asked." He was still smiling a little, but his eyes looked serious.

It hit me what he was talking about. Would I take him back? Was he serious? Normally he just showed up and expected it."Do you want me to?" I asked instead.

He wasn't looking at the fire in his hands, not me. "I asked you first."

"My answer depends yours."

"But I asked first."

"So?"

We didn't say anything else for several minutes. Neither of us wanted to be the first to admit anything. Too much risk.

But hadn't the risk already been taken? I mean we'd already been ousted to Magneto and Otto, and the Professor knew about us too. Technically those were the big obstacles standing in our way, and they were what we'd be risking losing, and we'd already been through all of that already. So there should be nothing standing in the way of us now. Right? I mean, that is if he was telling the truth about Magneto kicking him out the club. But then again, what if I just went ahead and answered to find out this really was just a game to him? Or better yet, tell him that I had, real, serious feelings for him? That I could possible love him. Not just love him, but I was _in_ love with him. Because there _is_ a difference. And, well...Pyro didn't scare me in the least bit, but possibly telling him I was in love him? That scared the hell out of me. He could really hurt me that way if he wanted to.

But…if I tell him no now. Well, then I'd loose him, and never know if maybe he could possible one day love me too. Crap. I sounded like a stupid, love sick moron. That's _not_ what I want to be, but I didn't want to lose him either. So…

"Fine." I bit out. Not looking at him. "I would."

When I finally did glance at him he was grinning, looking like he'd just won. The fire still dancing around his hands.

"I swear," I stood up, shaking a finger at him. "If you start laughing at me or mocking me or thinking you can use it against me, well…" I couldn't think of anything. "Well think again."

He started laughing then, and so help me God I knew I was going to kill him.

But Pyro let the fire die, then was on his feet and his mouth was on mine before I ever saw it coming. I fisted my hands in his t-shirt and pulled him closer and kissed back.

When we pulled back he was still chuckling.

"Stop laughing." I warned him.

"Make me." He was challenging me.

And boy did I. No holding back. No playing nice. I kissed him hard, but then somewhere along the way it turned gentle. I was caught up in it, in his warmth and taste, and just _him._

Then we both took a breath, ready to go again, when it hit me what I was doing. Then I backed the hell off as I remembered I should be mad.

"What's the matter?" He asked. Looking confused.

"You never said if you wanted back." I replied.

"I'm here aren't I?" Pyro held his arms out, _duh._

"John." I stressed his name. "I want a _real_ answer."

His arms dropped down to his sides, and as he studied me. "Yea." Finally a straight forward answered. "I wanted to come back."

"You mean it?" I asked, feeling totally self conscious.

"Yea I mean it." He looked at me like I'd insulted him for asking. "Do you want me here?"

I nodded enthusiastically.

"Good. So…" he trailed off, before smiling and saying "Let's have make up sex."

I rolled my eyes.

XXX

After we'd gotten settled down on the couch I tried talking to Pyro, but I couldn't get a straight answer out of him about why he was made to leave. He'd just tell me it was fine and that I shouldn't worry about it, that he really was out for good.

"Are you sure?" I asked for the umpteenth time. We were wrapped up in the hot pink blanket he'd slept with. This not getting an answer business was starting to get to me, and coupling it with the fact that I still had some issues left over with his leaving, my mood was heading south.

He rolled his eyes. "Yes. What are you not getting?"

"I'm not getting why they just made you go. Why didn't they just kill you?" Not that I wanted to happen.

"Jesus Bell. What do you think the Brotherhood is?" He looked at me like I was crazy.

I returned the look. "Uh? The Brotherhood. You know a terrorist organization?"

He shook his head, getting feed up with my determination to get an answer.

"Oh, c'mon." I was trying not to sound whiny or argumentative. I'm not sure it worked too well. "They were way more than happy to kill me to get to you and Otto. Don't expect me to think that they wouldn't try offing you too."

"They didn't. So dropped it." Pyro snapped, closing this topic.

I turned to glare at the TV in front of us, not at all focused on it. Determined to make him be the one to say the next thing so I could be bitchy and get huffy about getting spoken to, because _we were supposed to be dropping it, remember?_ Except…well, I'm not so great at staying quiet.

"You know something?" I crossed my arms and looked up at him.

He took in a long suffering breath, then let it out slowly.

"I think you're the most difficult person I've ever meet."

Both his eyebrows were raised at he looked at me. "You think you're the easiest to deal with all the time?"

I gaped at him. "I'm not difficult." Most of the time.

Pyro only stared at me.

"Fine whatever." I turned back to the TV, knowing that was a loosing battle.

Several minutes ticked by this time before I started up again.

"You know something else?" I watched with a little satisfaction that a muscle in his jaw twitched. "I-"

"Why are you doing this?" He cut me off.

"Doing what?" I asked, a little confused.

"Picking fights."

"What? You're the only one who gets to do that?"

"Yea." He answered, like it was a given.

I started to say something but he cut me off again.

"I have a reason. You're doing it to be bitchy."

"Bitchy?" No. He really did not just say that.

"Yea."

I went to stand so I could walk away, but got tangled up in the blanket and didn't get far. I tripped, he caught me, and that just irritated me even more, like it was somehow his fault. Though, in all honesty it wasn't.

"C'mon. Stop." He pulled me back down next to him.

"You stop. I'm being bitchy remember?" I leaned away from him, crossing my arms, and mentally cursed my stupid pink blanket. I wouldn't look at him.

"You want to know so bad? Is that it?" He grabbed my chin and made me look at him, and if he hadn't looked so mad I would have slapped his hand away. But as it was I simply jerked my chin out of his grasp, while holding eye contact. "I wasn't doing the job as well as I should have been. I wasn't as into it. Magneto told me I disgusted him and I was a traitor, then sent me packing. That's it."

A muscle was ticking in his jaw, when he finally leaned back, and away.

I let it sink in. Surprised that was all there was to it. I let several moments pass before I responded.

"I'm sorry." And I really was.

Pyro kept staring at the TV even though I knew full and well that he wasn't watching it.

As I sat there I decided to hell with it I was going to go for broke and get it all out there. Plus, he'd have to start talking again if he was going to argue. "So I'm pretty much your second choice then?"

Pyro slowly turned his gaze on me, looking at me like I was a little unstable.

"I mean, that's pretty much it right? You left me for the Brotherhood, then only left them because they told you to, and so you came to me. Makes me your second choice."

"I left _for_ you." He clarified.

"Okay. Seriously?" I raised an eyebrow. "I know better than that. You wanted to go back." This was the center of my 'bitchyness'.

"No. We are not having this conversation." He shook his head. "Forget it." He kept up with the refusing, until finally he yelled when I wouldn't give it up. "Why wouldn't you drop it?"

"Because it hurt!" I shouted back.

In stark contrast to our raised voices, the room was suddenly quiet.

Pyro studied me for moment. "Is this why you're acting crazy?"

"I am _not_ acting crazy." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"If you would have just said that from the beginning, we could have cut out a full forty-five minutes of arguing." He'd twisted around to face me, while I avoided looking at him. "Next time can you just tell me what the hell I did?"

I shrugged, having finally embarrassed myself.

"Okay, fine. I wanted to go back. Happy? But I wasn't going to. I was going to stick it out with you. Then Magneto came along with this deal and I knew Shadow wasn't going to take it, so I did. I thought I was doing what was in _your _best interest."

I didn't say anything but I believed him, because if I'd learned anything with him it was that when pushed far enough Pyro will let me the truth.

"I couldn't get you to shut up earlier. Now you're not going to say anything?"

I kind of half heartily glared at him.

"Fine." He shrugged. "I like you better this way anyway. No bitching."

Like hell he just said that. I started to say something but then he laughed and kissed me quick before laughing some more.

"You are a jerk." I told him, anger finally gone.

"And you're a brat."

Both of our insults lacked any heat, and he was kissing me again anyway. Slow and easy. I was starting to get a little addicted to it, to him.

When things started getting a little more heated, I didn't stop it. Figuring he'd answered just about everything I'd wanted, and it wouldn't hurt to give back a little. Besides, who was I kidding? Fooling around with Pyro was not something I was adviser to, and I did have the sense to stop things before they went _too_ far.

Later, much, _much_ later, I lay dozing next to him, feeling satisfied. TV still on and turned down to just soft background noise.

Pyro moved, stretching then settling back down getting comfortable again. When an arm draped over me, he pulled me closer.

"You asleep?" His breath tickled the back of my neck.

I made a noise, not feeling like even speaking. He was so perfectly warm. His chest was pressed to my back, and with his arm over me, and our legs tangled together, and I was pretty content to just stay there for the rest of the day.

He chuckled, made some comment about job well done by him if I wasn't talking nonstop, causing me to snort. Then he served me with a complement that had me blushing, but it didn't stop me from drifting off to sleep finally.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Now does anyone know where Pyro is from in the movie verse? **


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: I caught myself rambling in this chapter, and believe it or not, this is the short version of what I had originally written. I hope you enjoy it.**

My cell phone ringing in the other room woke me up, and I reluctantly opened my eyes to find that the day was over. The living room was dark, except for the bluish light coming from the TV. I didn't move as I listen to my ringtone end, it was surprising I'd slept so long. Normally I wasn't one for naps, but I was in no hurry to get moving. Pyro was still out and I was comfortable where I was. It was peaceful just laying there in the quiet and semi dark.

I wondered where we going to go from here. Did he have any plans made, or had he even the time to make any? He was free now, but now what? Absentmindedly, I twined our fingers together, with the hand that was attached to the arm around me. Would he want to stay here? There was certainly room for him if he wanted to. I'd originally picked the apartment incase Otto ever changed his mind about moving in with me, but that didn't look like it was going to happen anytime soon anyway.

Otto was going to kill me when he found out…and I bet that was who was calling me when I'd woken up. It was normal for him to check up on me, so no rush on returning that call…unless he really did need to talk to me and in which case he was likely to just pop in.

I cursed aloud, and struggled to get up, waking Pyro up in the process.

"What's wrong?" He asked, half asleep and confused.

"Got to check my phone." I said crawling over him, which didn't work, and we both landed on the floor. He protested and complained, trying to untangle us. He grunted when my knee landed in his stomach.

"Sorry." I told him, as he pushed my leg away before I could move it. "I'm sorry." I apologized again pulling myself away and getting to my knees.

Pyro propped himself up on his elbows and gave me an irritated look.

"Right." I patted his chest. "I'm just going to make that call." I got up and went in my bedroom where my phone was, flipping on the light as I walked in. As I'd suspected it had been my brother. When I called back he answered on the second ring and told me he was just checking up on me. I spent a few minutes talking with him, but he seemed distracted or preoccupied. I asked if everything was alright, and I got a _fine_ in respond, before we exchanged good nights. I ended the call, and shook my head at myself. All that frantic rushing to get to the phone to find out it was nothing. _Figures._

I walked out of my bedroom to find Pyro rummaging through my fridge. He glanced back at me when he heard me, and started complaining about my lack of food. I ignored him as I sat in a kitchen chair.

"Who was that?" He asked, as he finally shut the refrigerator, sandwich makings in hand.

"Otto. He called to check on me, and I didn't want him coming just popping in, you know?"

"What? Didn't want him to know I was here?"

I blinked. Well, no. "Not yet."

"So I'm your dirty little secret then?" He looked like he liked the idea of that.

"Wasn't I yours for awhile there?" I reminded him.

The grin he gave me was wicked.

XXX

Much later, after Pyro told me he was not sleeping on the couch again, that if I didn't want to sleep next to him, then I could sleep on it (what a gentlemen he is.) we were getting in my bed. Not that we were actually going to sleep just yet, but I had a TV in there we could watch.

He complained about everything I owned had to be pink. It wasn't. I reminded him my couch was in fact a dark green.

"Besides, the other guys that sleep in here don't seem to mind." I said sarcastically.

"That's because they're gay." He smiled sweetly, then muttered: "Or at least they better be if they're coming in here. Why do you have so many pillows?"

"Because I like them?" _Duh_. "Quite complaining."

We settled down, I kept the remote out of his reach and refused to let him pick what we watched. Even if it meant I'd have to hear him complain.

"Oh my God." He buried his face in the pillows that were behind where I was sitting cross legged. "We haven't even had sex and you've got me sleeping in a pink bed and watching _America's Next Top Model_?"

"Earlier was close enough." I pushed at his shoulder. "Now shut up."

"You are such a girl." He groaned.

"You'd rather I'd be a boy?" I asked, sitting up watching.

"You think you're really funny don't you?"

I ignored him. He was in an awkward position on the bed; half behind me since his head was on my pillows, and half beside me. He continued to complain.

"Fine." I used the remote to click off the TV, not that I was actually able to hear it anyway because of him. "Now you've got to entertain me."

"That's not hard." He said. "I'll just give you something shiny to play with."

"Now look who's being funny." I set the remote on my night stand, and thought for a second. "I know. We can ask each other questions."

He pushed himself up on an elbow, looking at me like I was dumb. "What?"

"It'll be like a game. Besides, it's not like it's going to hurt to get to know more about each other." I thought it was a good idea. "But you have to tell the truth." When the only response I got was a groan, I asked, "You don't want to get know more about me?"

Pyro pretended to think, then shook his head. "No. Not really."

"Too bad." I elbowed him. "I'll go first. What's your favorite color?"

"That's a stupid question." He laid down on his back.

"Answer it anyway." I insisted.

"I don't know."He raised his hands, then let them fall, landing on his chest and stomach. "Red."

"That's such a cliché. The fired yielding mutant named Pyro likes the color red." I shifted so that I was facing him.

"Whatever. My turn. What's your favorite-never mind. That would be pink. Uh…" He paused. "Wait. I know. You really haven't brought other guys in here, right?"

"The jealous kind, are we?" I smirked.

"Answer the question." His smile was shark like, all teeth.

"No. Now-"

"You already asked you're question. And yes, I am the jealous kind. So keep that in mind." That was defiantly a warning. "Now let's see… how old were you the first time you did it?" He smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "That's mature. Seventeen." I thought for a moment. "Who gave you the name Pyro?"

"I did." He picked my hand up, holding it. "Was he any good?"

I hesitated, not sure he was asking what I thought he was.

"Your first time?"

"I know what you're doing. You're trying to embrarrass me." I gave him an accusing look.

He grinned again, not denying it. "You wanted to play this game."

I thought about not answering him, but knew if I did he would quite answering my questions and there were still things I wanted to ask. "Neither of us knew what we were doing. It was embarrassing and it sucked. Now how old were you when you found out about your powers?"

"Fourteen." He looked at my hand that he was still holding, and started tracing the pink scars left behind from where the cuts and stitches had been. I pulled my hand away, and folded both of them in my lap. I was self conscious of the scars, and hoped one day they'd fade, but in the mean time I didn't want him studying them.

He frowned. "Don't want me looking at them?"

"No." I answered matter-of-factly. "Now, do you have a favorite song?"

He shrugged. "Nah. I like rock though."He started tugging at my arm, wanting my hand back. "If you could have a power, what would it be?"

I wouldn't let him have my hand. "I don't know…except I do know I'd want a tail. So I could pick stuff up with." Pyro stopped tugging and just jerked my hand back. In retaliation I squeezed his hard, but he returned the favor. "Ow. Stop. It hurts." Before I was even done saying it, he'd quite, and was chuckling at me.

"So you don't know what kind of power you'd want, but you'd like a deformity." He gave me an amused look.

"Yea." I laughed a little."It's because I like Kurt's tail." I watched him roll his eyes. "So it doesn't bother you anymore I'm not a mutant?"

Pyro looked away, and a moment passed before he answered. "What bothers me is that I don't care anymore."It was an unusually honest answer, but he didn't give me a chance to respond. "Bet you never thought you'd get with one. It ever bother you that I'm one?"

I didn't even have to think. "No. That was never what got to me."

"What did?" He asked.

"You know what. The Brotherhood thing." I waved our joined hands around. "Now that was two for you so I get two. When's your birthday?"

"October twenty-third."

"Favorite holiday?"

"Halloween. Were you ever afraid of me?"

"Yes, but not for long. Why'd you kiss me that first time?"

"You had this forbidden fruit thing going on." He continued at my look of confusion. "You're a _homo sepien _and supposed to be disgusting to me but you were hot. Plus you're Shadow Man's little sister and totally off limits since he is-was- an enemy." I wasn't sure how well I liked that answer and the look I gave him said as much. He shrugged like he couldn't care. "Why did you hate mutants?"

I opened my mouth and closed it a couple times, caught off guard by the question. For someone who hadn't wanted to play he certainly was asking some hard questions. "I don't know…" I replied feeling awkward.

"Yes you do."

"I don't really… I guess maybe because I was afraid of them?"

Pyro snorted at that. "Sounds like an ignorant reason."

I glared at him, ready with my next question. "Before you found out about your powers, you were pro-mutant?"

I watched his jaw flex, not at all happy with my question. "It doesn't matter."

"I answered, so you have to too."

He let out an annoyed sound. "No."

"Aha! I knew it."

He rolled his eyes. "My turn. How'd a mutant hater end up at a school full of mutants?"

I made a face at the _mutant hater_. "I found a brochure for the school in Otto's room and thought that was where he went." I had to take a second to think up another question. "Did you…no…hold on. I got one. Where are you from? Originally?"

"Australia." He was dead serious as he said it and I laughed.

"No, for real."

"For real." He said flatly.

I stopped my chuckling and look at him. "You're serious?" That was not even close to anything I'd guessed.

"Yes." He looked at me like I was slow.

"Why don't you have an accent?" I raised a questioning eyebrow, not believing him completely. "Hmmm?"

"I dropped it years ago." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"So how'd you end up over here?"

"My family moved here to the States when I was ten. I picked up an American accent after I found out my powers, to help me blend in better."

I stared at him, debating whether I believed it or not. Finally I nodded, deciding I'd take his word for it. "Okay…" I started to smile "Then say something with an Austrian accent."

He rolled his eyes, and refused. I kept asking until he finally gave in, slipping seamlessly from one accent to the next. To be honest he could have just been faking it and I never would have known the difference, expect that his ears turned a little red when I started giggling.

"Shut up." He grumbled, sounding normal again.

"You're blushing, aren't you?" I couldn't help flat out laughing now.

"No." He snapped.

"Sure." I was grinning at him. "So you don't slip into that accent, ever?"

He shook his head.

"Why not?"

Pyro shrugged. "Practice. Made it a habit to speak with an American one."

"Wow." I nodded my head slowly. "I can't even manage to get mine to lighten up at all. Teach me how you did it."

"Nope. It's my turn to ask questions." He then proceeded to ask anything he thought that would embarass me. We continued with the questions and I found out a few interesting things about him besides being Australian. For one he didn't like peas or country music. He preferred dogs to cats and had watched _Scarface_ more times than he could count.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't anything majorly important but I still wanted to know stuff like this. Eventually we hit on serious stuff, and somehow ended up on the Cure. I'd asked him if he'd ever considered taking the Cure, and I knew the second it was out my mouth I'd said the wrong thing, because if looks could kill I'd have been dead on the spot. Pyro pulled his hand away from mine, and moved away, sitting up so he could swing his feet off on the opposite side of the bed, giving me his back.

I was confused by the reaction I was getting from him. He was nearly vibrating from the anger. "I'm sorry. I didn't think-"

"Just drop it." It came out harsh sounding.

"Okay…" I twisted the silver ring around my thumb, trying to figure out how to fix my screw up. "I didn't mean to make you mad. I was just wondering-" I cautiously reached out to touch his shoulder only to have him jerk away from me. That stung like a slap in the face.

"Why? Huh?" He turned face to look at me over his shoulder, his expression was black and his tone was accusing. "Want me to take it?"

"No." I started shaking my head."That's not what I said." Oh hell what had I gotten myself into here?

"But you think the Cure's a good thing don't you? You think mutants should be able to take it to be _normal_?" He sneered the last word. "Or maybe it should just be used as a way to control us?" He was getting angrier by the second.

My mind started scrambling for a response. "I-"

Pyro cut me off again, standing and turning my way so he could glare down at me. "And hell, why you're at it, let's just take any choice we have in the matter. Just go ahead and pump us full of the shit."

I opened my mouth and closed it a couple of times, like a fish out of water trying to figure out what to say. I was surprised and unrepaired for the hostility and anger he had over this. "John. That isn't what I meant…" I couldn't even think up a decent response.

"I don't need this." He sneered once more, stalking toward the door.

"Wait a second." I said, getting off the bed, tripping once and nearly breaking my neck trying to get catch up to him (because lets be honest, no one ever accused me of being graceful). He got out the bedroom, but I grabbed his arm in the hall way pulling him to a stop. He tried to roughly shrug me off, but I held on. "Just wait a dang minute."

"Let go." He pushed me back and the klutz I am, I stumbled over my own feet into the wall, thumping hard against it.

I straightened up. We both started at one another, shocked.

It really wasn't his fault, he'd barely touched me, and I'd lost my balance. It honestly just startled me a bit, and the only thing that actually hurt was where I'd stepped on my own feet. However, the look on his face was akin to if he'd hit me, shocked and guilty.

"I'm sorry." He blurted it out.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it. I'm fine. I was just an accident." I told him, wondering how in the hell I'd managed to have stepped on _both_ of my own feet, because they were both hurting now.

Pyro something how looked guiltier.

"I'm sorry for asking that. I didn't realize you'd get so upset about it." I stayed leaning against the wall, and looked up at him. The hall light was off, but the lamp light from the bedroom was spilling out the open door. "Would you mind explaining it to me why though? Because I really don't understand." And I didn't. I could reason some anger over the question, but this was beyond anything I'd ever seen from him before.

I hoped for an answer, but I didn't really expect one. So after a tense moment passed, he looked at me and asked me if I knew anything about Alcatraz, I was surprised. I told him I'd read about it. There had been a brutal battle there, that the Brotherhood had been apart of. Well, he told me, he'd been there. That the Cure was used as a weapon against them and he'd been hit with it.

Oh.

What did I say to that? I'd not even thought about that being a possibility. I mean I'd heard the Cure had been used like that, and known the Brotherhood had been at Alcatraz but it had never occurred to me that Pyro had been there. Or that the cure had been used on him.

It seemed like I should say something, but what do you say to that kind of thing?

"I'm sorry." I said it quietly but it still seemed loud in the silence, and sounded so utterly lame. I really was though; I understood that being a mutant was how he defined himself. With that having been taken from him with the intent of forever the loss had to have been devastating. That's not to even contemplate how the battle itself had affected him.

Yea…'I'm sorry´ just didn't cut it here.

I raked a hand through my hair, pushing it out of my face. He looked frustrated, and angry and guilty still, but he didn't say anything in response.

"I was wrong for asking that." I finally said, trying to fix my unintended screw up. "And I wouldn't want that. For you to take it, I mean, I'm sorry it happened." I bite my lip, waiting. I almost reached out to touch him again, but the way he'd jerked away from me earlier had kind of hurt my feelings and I wasn't looking to repeat that. "I'm sorry." He needed to know that.

"I'm going…" He shook his head, backing up. "I'm going out."

"John…"

He just shook his head again and bolted for the door, leaving me standing there.

XXX

I wasn't sure if he was coming back, but I waited up anyway, until it was nearly three in the morning. I gave up at that point and went to bed to try and get some sleep because I would have to go into work. Granted, even laying down in the quiet and dark didn't make it any easier on me. I was still awake, making note of every noise I heard, hoping he'd still turn up, even though I'd kind of given up on it. I was kicking myself for having asked that question. What on earth had made me think that was an okay thing to ask to ex-member of the _Brotherhood_? Had I gone brain dead for a moment?

I rolled over for the billionth time so I was right in the middle of my bed, and heaved a sigh. That's when I finally heard foot falls coming down the hall. I stilled, listening as my door opened, barely breathing.

"John?" I whispered, just to be sure it was him.

"Yeah." His reply was just as quiet.

The bed dipped and I moved to one side, giving him room. I started to say something, anything, but because I couldn't think of anything I just kept quite and he didn't try either. It was awkward, and a little strained as we made an effort to not touch. I didn't want to smother him, by being all clingy and needy acting, because if he was still angry, acting that way would only make things worse. Plus the only thing I could think of to say was 'I'm sorry' and he'd probably heard enough of that from me.

XXX

The next morning I tipped toed around as I got ready for work, trying to not make a sound as Pyro was still sleeping. I left early, and just hoped he'd be there when I got back that night.

Since I'd left early I made it to the school early. It was quite, even by the early morning standards. I got straight to work, switching out the daily papers, pulling a set of books for Ms. Monroe's class, and other normal things. That is until Kurt popped in next to me, causing me to jump.

"Sorry." He apologized.

"It's alright." I laughed it off.

But Kurt didn't smile back. "I came by to tell you that Otto…had an accident?"

I felt like my blood turned to ice water. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing serious." Kurt shook his head. "He just over exerted himself on the mission last night. He used his powers too much and it exhausted him. He passed out. But he's fine." His tail twitched anxiously behind him.

My panic lessened slightly. "You're sure he's okay?"

"Yes, yes. He's fine, just sleeping. I just thought you'd like to know."

I nodded, and thanked him, but I was still worried. Kurt must have picked up on it because he offered to handle the library until his first class, which didn't start until eleven. I thanked him again and took him up on the offer. Following his instructions I found my brother in the medical lab, not far from where I'd stayed after my run in with Mystique.

Otto was still and quiet when I entered, so much so in fact I had this insane fear that he was dead. I approached silently and watched carefully to find that he was breathing, if the rise and fall of his chest way anything to go by.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, and shook my head at myself. He was fine. Kurt had said as much. Even still though, my concern didn't completely leave me. I had no idea how this kind of thing happened. How in the world did you use your power so much that it exhausted you to this point? Well, okay I could see someone like Ms. Monroe or Gambit getting wiped out with too much use…but Otto? What in the hell had he been doing? Teleporting back and forth nonstop? Why in the world would he even need to do that?

I hadn't even been in the room five minutes when Otto woke up. Blinking and confused looking. I immediately started to explain what had happened, incase he didn't remember, and then reassured him he'd be okay. However, he must of thought I'd looked pretty upset because he told me he was fine. Granted, when he insisted that he wanted to get to his own bed and tried to stand he nearly toppled over. I caught him, but struggled for a moment as I took his weight because, lets face it, Otto's got several inches and pounds on me. Luckily, he recovered quickly, and stood on his own two feet.

When I suggested that he just stay put for awhile longer, he ignored me and headed for the door. Not knowing what else to do I went with him. I'd barely gotten the door shut to his room before he was back in bed, pulling the covers up.

"Is this kind of thing normal?" I asked, because I had no idea about how mutant's powers worked, or what happened if they were over used. Hell, I hadn't even realized they could be over used.

I waited for a moment for his answer, only to realize he was already back asleep. Twisting the silver ring around my thumb I debated for several minutes what I should do. I was reluctant to just leave him on his own, but then again he'd been alone earlier when I'd found him so maybe it was okay.

Finally I decided to go back to the library, because after all Kurt was waiting for me. Which is where I spent the rest of the day alternating between worrying about Otto, and my situation with Pyro.

**A/N: Thank you everyone who responded to my question, and the reviews in general. However, since the movie never said where he was from, I went with what I'd always thought it was. Pyro was still an Australian, just without the accent. **


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Better late than never?**

I made it through work, then training with Logan, checked on Otto (who was doing much better, thank goodness), and rushed right home to an _empty_ apartment.

After checking every single room (twice), I stomped my foot and then did it again for good measure. Pyro wasn't here. I was frustrated, and disappointed and not sure what to do. If I hadn't found his stuff still in my room I would have assumed that he wasn't coming back. However, knowing I still had his stuff kept me from freaking out (mostly).

I kept myself busy, having dinner, then studying and flipping through channels until I gave up and went to bed. I was sleeping when I felt someone trying to get in the bed, in a practically still asleep state, I panicked and shot up straight, banging my head against something solid. Which hurt. A lot.

Cringing I clutched my head, as I realized it was a person I'd hit. Someone that sounded an awful lot like Pyro as they started cussing.

.

"You scared me." I said as explanation.

"You broke my nose!" He shot back. Voice kind of muffled and nasally.

"What!" I reached out quickly and turned on the lamp next to the bed. Pyro had his back to me, but was leaning his head back, hands covering his nose. "You're bleeding."

I got a smart-mouthed reply from him, but ignored it, as I suddenly turned a little queasy from the sight of blood. I apologized, trying to ignore my weak stomach, then jumped up and ran to get him a towel but he followed me to the bathroom. "Sit down." I directed him to sit on the toilet with its lowered lid, before passing him a clean towel. He glared at me but took it, and I tried not to look at the blood.

Pyro was bleeding like crazy and I kept saying I was sorry. He was alternating between bitching at me for breaking his nose and whining because it hurt. My stomach felt like it was going purge it's contents the longer I stayed with him.

_Really? _I berated myself. _You're still trying to fix your last screw up, and you go and do this? Just don't get sick._

After a few moments he quieted down, as he waited for the bleeding to stop, I focused on breathing in and out, and not looking at him, keeping my eyes on the sailboat pattern of the wallpaper. How absolutely lame was I?

"You're not going to get sick are you?" Pyro's voice startled me.

I just shook my head, not wanting to risk talking or looking at him, just incase.

"Bell, get out." He might have sounded harsher, if he didn't sound so nasally.

"I'm fine." I lied, badly.

"You just broke my nose, and made me bleed everywhere; if you puke on me I'll kill you." He threatened.

I hesitated, then said I was sorry before leaving the room. I sat down cross legged on my bed and put my head in my hands. Here Pyro had finally come back after that stupid mistake of mine and what do I do? Break his nose? What the hell was wrong with me?

The queasiness passed after a few moments.

Minutes seemed to stretched on and on before he came out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. His face cleaned of the blood, but his shirt was still splattered with it.

"Good news." It sounded like he had a stuffy nose. "You didn't break it. Just gave me one hell of a nose bleed and headache."

I apologized for the umpteenth time as he reached in his duffle by the closet and pulled out a fresh t-shirt to replace the one blood had gotten on.

"I'll live." He glanced at me as he pulled the new shirt down over his flat stomach. "You still feel sick?"

I shook my head, watching him. "Are you sure it's not broken?"

"Positive." He said walking to the bed, where I sat. "So can I get in there without getting a black eye?"

I scooted other to let him in, and he took a seat. It was quite for a moment, neither of us looking like we knew what to say.

"I've never seen anyone turn green before." Pyro smirked.

It took me a second to figure out what he'd just said, and when I did I smiled a little. "Yea, well…I've got a weak stomach." I answered sheepishly.

"You should have said something; I wouldn't have cared if you hadn't been able to handle it."

Couldn't have handled it? "I didn't want to just leave you." _Especially since I'm the one who had caused it._

Pyro shrugged. Then reached out touched my forehead, where I'd cracked it against his face. "Your head okay?"

"Yea. It's just sore."

He let his finger tips graze my cheek before he dropped his hand. "I'm sorry about taking off last night." It was an awkward sounding apology and he wasn't looking at me as he said it.

My gaze shot up. "It's okay. I shouldn't have asked that."

When I said that I was hoping for a: _it's okay_ or something, instead I got: "No. You shouldn't have." He agreed readily.

My shoulders slumped as I tried to figure out what to say to that.

"Let's just forget about it." He saved me from having to come up with a response, then stretched out.

"Yea?" I was relieved.

"Yea."

"You're not mad anymore?"

"No. I figure you're a _homo sepien_, and there's no way for you to understand."

I glared at him. "Don't call me that." That phrase, _homo sepien_, just got under my skin. It was beginning to feel like a slap in the face.

"Call you what? _Homo Sepien_?"

"Yes. It makes me feel, I don't know…like not human or less than one. I don't like it."

Pyro snorted, like he didn't care.

"I think it's a big part of what keeps getting between us." That got me an eye roll.

"John."

"What?" He snapped. "You want to talk _feelings_?"

"No. Not exactly. But this isn't going to work if we don't work a few things out. Like the _homo sepien _and mutant crap."

"What's there to work out?" He snapped, sitting up on his elbows. "You're a _homo sepien_ and I'm a mutant, and there's no working that out."

"That's it exactly. I swear you hold it against me."

Pyro rolled his eyes. I felt ridiculous, like I was being a total _girl._

"I'm serious." I was frustrated, and he was impatient. "Is it really that big of deal? That I'm not a mutant?"

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"It has to do with everything! I feel like you hold it against me and I don't think you believe that I'm sorry for asking you about the Cure because I'm a '_homo sepien'_." I used my fingers to make the air quotations around _homo sepien._ "And I feel guilty about it, like its my fault I'm a _homo sepien_ and not a mutant, and its my fault we can't get past it." Okay. I was wound up and upset, and my emotions were getting the better of me.

"Whoa. Slow down." Pyro sat up even more, and was looking at me like I was crazy, something that had been happening a little too often lately.

"Don't look at me like I'm nuts." I muttered.

"Let's talk this out tomorrow, when we've both had some sleep, okay? I'm tired and you're…you need sleep." He said that last part like he that was a nice way of putting it.

"No. Because you'll just show up in the middle of the night again, and tell me you're too tired to talk then."

Pyro heaved a sigh, like he was dealing with a little kid who wouldn't settle down for bed time. "I'll make sure I'm here before you get home, that way you can have all the time you want."

I wasn't getting answers from him. I wasn't getting any reassurance either. Maybe I was giving in too easily, and that was probably the case, but it _was _the middle of the night, and I _did_ have to be to work on time. Pyro watched me as I thought it over, face expectant.

"Fine." I grumbled, then reached for the lamp and turned it off before he could say anything, and laid with my back to him, on my side of the bed.

"Hey. Don't be like that." He pressed close, putting an arm around me.

"You up and took off the other night, came in during the middle of the night twice since then and refused to talk to me. I get to be however I want to be." I pushed his arm away, but he still stayed close.

It was quiet for a long time, and I'd figured he wasn't going to say anything back, but then he surprised me. "I shouldn't have just taken off."

I didn't respond right away. "You know something?" I almost turned to look at him, but didn't. "I don't act like this when it comes to anyone else. This emotional, blows everything out of portion, imbalanced, nuts person. You are seriously making me insane." When I left home, and everything I went through with Otto and getting kidnapped, I managed to keep pretty much level headed. Then it comes to Pyro and I start freaking out over every little thing. What the hell was wrong with me?

"It's not very healthy or attractive. I can't say I enjoy it very much." Smart ass comment. _Of course_. "But hey," He leaned in closer, kind of whispering it in my ear, "I do like that it's only me that makes you get like that."

I snorted, and tried to not smile.

"And as for the _homo sepien _thing, well, with you it's just to piss you off. Most of the time." He said lightly, like it was a joke, pulling back only a little.

"It works. Really well." The urge to smile was gone.

"It would all be easier if you were a mutant." Pyro said in all seriousness.

"Or if you were normal." I added.

"Being a mutant is what I am. I'd never change that, not for you or anyone else." He sounded like he was daring me.

I chose my next words carefully, as I finally turned to look him in the eye. "I wouldn't want you to. But, John? Being a mutant is only _part_ of you. It's not all of you."

I couldn't really make out all his features in the darkened room, but I could feel his eyes on me. He didn't answer me, instead he had inched a hand up to rest on my hip, which I only noticed after he'd given me a light squeeze there.

"So am I forgiven?" I asked, hopeful, changing topics a little.

Pyro took a moment to think it over. "Almost. I think you need to make it up to me a little." He managed to move closer, being suggestive about it.

I managed not to laugh, but a smile slipped out. "I guess I'll have to live with 'almost', if that's the case. I've got to get to work on time."

Pyro grumbled, but settled down next to me, and was a sleep before I was. Unfortunately I'd had just enough sleep to make it hard to fall back under. My mind wandered as I lay there, with my blanket pulled up to my chin, and Pyro warm against me.

**A/N: Sorry it's taken so long, and that this chapter was a little on the short side. It was hard to get back in the swing of things. **


	30. Chapter 30

I kept myself busy all the next day, avoiding Otto because I'd have to tell him that Pyro was back if I saw him. Not telling him really wasn't an option because I didn't want him to find out from someone else, or to let it go for too long and make things worse. So by the end of the day I marshaled up my courage, gave myself a quick pep talk, and went in search of my brother.

Except I couldn't find Otto. Anywhere, and his phone was turned off. After a half hour of looking around, I ran into Gambit. Who was in a deserted room, trying to sneak a cigarette.

"Do you know if Otto had to go somewhere to night?" I asked, standing in the open door way of the room. If my brother had been sent off on another X-Man mission Gambit would know…but it was really unlikely Otto had been.

"No." Gambit turned his head away and blew out smoke the creaked window. "Sorry, _petite_."

"Oh." I sighed, nearly defeated, walking further into the room. "I didn't know you smoked." I observed absently, as I closed the door behind me.

"Old habit I broke years ago, but still indulge on occasions." He flicked off the ashes from the end out the open window. "Keep it a secret between us?" Slow smile, and a wink. All charm, but something was missing, making me realize he looked a little uneasy.

I smiled back. "Sure."

"What's troubling you?" He took another drag.

"Nothing. Just need to talk to Otto." Only a small lie.

He nodded, and seemed to go back to his own thoughts. I stayed quiet for several long minutes, joining him to look out the window and just keeping him company while he finished his cigarette. As he was stubbing it out on the bottom of his boot, I spoke up. "You alright?"

I got another smile that didn't go any further than his lips. "Of course."

I watched him carefully, not believing him, as he put the cigarette butt in his pocket to be thrown away later.

"You given up the search for your brother?" His Cajun accent heavier than usual tonight.

"No. Just a break." I answered, giving him a small smile. Something was bothering Gambit, but I didn't have a clue what it might be. Rogue hadn't mentioned anything, but then again, I'd been pretty wrapped up in my own problems recently. "Are you sure you're okay? Maybe I could help?" I offered awkwardly. "Maybe…I don't know. Listen?"

It was a real smile this time, even if it was a small one. "Thank you, but I'll have to decline."

"Okay. If you're sure?" I hadn't really expected him to tell me anything.

"The offer is appreciated." He told me.

I nodded, took that as my cue and left, hoping it wasn't too serious, but focusing back on my search for Otto. If Gambit didn't want to share then there was no reason to put off my own problems.

I double checked several places, just to be sure he wasn't there, before I suddenly remembered that he liked the roof, and thankfully tended to go to the same spot because I'd found him there a couple of times before. I grabbed a step latter from one of the cleaning supply closets and dragged it down the hall to the balcony he normally sat over. I'd done this a time or two before, knew the step latter was just barely tall enough for me to pull and wiggle my way up to the roof. After I'd gotten it set up and climbed it, I found more than my brother there. Kitty _friggen_ Pryde was there too.

They didn't notice me either, and to my shock and horror both were focused solely on the other…and inching closer…heads titling to the side…eyes starting to close…vomit rising…(wait, sorry, that last one was me) and it was like watching a train wreck, I couldn't seem to tear my eyes away. Since I had absolutely _no_ desire to watch my brother kiss some girl (much less Kitty Pryde) I had to stop it.

I cleared my throat loudly, announcing I was there, and intending to start to speak. Kitty jumped nearly a foot in the air, and Otto jerked. Which was very satisfying, in an annoying little sister kind of way.

"Oh. Sorry." I said, not sorry at all, as both their eyes snapped over to me. "I'm not interrupting am I?"

"Yes." Otto said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, but Kitty at the same time said no. Who, by the way, was blushing, bright red, looking like she'd been caught.

I chose to go with Kitty's answer. "Good! Because I need to speak to you Otto."

"It can wait." Otto's face said _if you know what's good for you, you'll disappear._ Now, in all honesty, that wasn't the first time I'd gotten that look from my big brother, but since his little stint with the Brotherhood, that look had gotten a lot more intimidating.

"Can't." I replied, refusing to be scared off. I started to try getting on the roof, and because I needed to look not like an idiot, I had double the trouble I normally did getting up there. "Give me a hand?" I kind of gasped/grunted out, directing it to Otto.

Otto just gave me a half bored, half irritated look and didn't move a muscle, as he comfortably with his elbows on his bent knees and his arms hanging loose. After a few more painfully seconds, Kitty was there, helping to pull me up. When I got my knees under me, I gave her a weary look, and grudgingly thanked her.

"I'm going to go." Kitty said, glancing between me and Otto…but mostly at Otto.

"'K." I told her.

"I'm sorry Kitty." My brother was obviously apologizing for me interrupting. "Can I come find you later, maybe?" Otto asked, and it sounded almost like he was asking for her a date. However, last I'd checked my brother hadn't ever been that…I don't know…confident?

I turned to Kitty, shooting her death glares to warn her off. Which she completely missed because she was only looking at Otto.

"Yea. I'll be in my room." Then she smiled at him, all prettily and kind of shy, and when I looked back at Otto his eyes soften just the slightest bit at the sight of her smile.

"Great." Otto gave her a real smile, one that was warm and smooth (which made me a little jealous since there were days when I couldn't even get him to give me a smirk) "And sorry again about, you know." My brother gestured in my direction, shooting me an annoyed look.

Kitty shook her head, and said it was _totally okay_ and she _totally understood_, and I _totally wanted to push her off the roof_. But she was kind of flustered, I realized when she started blushing even more after Otto's smile. Had the sky turned green or something? Was the world suddenly spinning in the opposite direction? Last I checked Kitty didn't like Otto because she was protective over Jimmy and Jimmy had been on the Brotherhoods hit list, and Otto had been with the Brotherhood. Plus, weren't her and Bobby friends?

I squinted at my brother as she made her exist through the roof. When the hell did he get all confident with girls? I mean, before leaving home he had girlfriends, sure, but he hadn't been that comfortable with basically asking for a date (or was it the equivalent of getting coffee, because they all lived under the same roof basically? Not quite as formal, but still, kind of…never mind.) Having just watched him with Kitty, I realized he had shaken any awkwardness of talking to someone of the opposite sex that he was interested in. He wasn't arrogantly sure of himself like Pyro was, or all charm like Gambit, just a sort of had a quite confidence.

"I should push you off the roof." He told me, voice low just incase anyone over heard.

"Kitty?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

He just continued to glare at me.

"You brought _her_ up here?"

Otto gave me a look that said he didn't know what I was talking about. "We were talking."

"Yea, sure. About what? How much you liked the flavor of her lip-gloss?" _Ew, ew, ew_!

"No." He snapped. "About what happened on the mission the other night."

"It was some sort of kissy…face …mission?" I kind of stammered out the question, because I hadn't been able to really think of anything to call it. Lame, I know.

Otto regarded me like he was really contemplating pushing me off the roof. So I moved away from the edge, and over to him to take a seat.

"No, Bell, it wasn't." Suddenly he sounded weary, like thinking about that mission took a toll.

I frowned, concerned, but I wasn't going to get an answer from him. He completely refused to speak about the missions he went out on. "Isn't she one of the ones who gave you hell when you got here?" Hence why I seriously didn't like her.

Otto shrugged. "She's apologized for it."

My mouth dropped a little, then snapped shut. "And that makes it okay? You can do way better than her."

"You know, that's funny you'd set such a high standard for me but not for yourself. Kitty didn't kidnap me, drag me out of my own home one night, kicking and screaming."

Oh. Yea. That was defiantly me, but in my defense: "Pyro was never really mean to me though, even while I was being held hostage." Boy…did that not sound like a real life case of Stockholm right there? I was so screwed up.

Otto scoffed.

I gulped. "And…you know, speaking of Pyro."

Otto tensed next to me. "He's back isn't he?"

"Yes." I answered quietly, wondering how he had guessed and knowing I was about to get as good as I just gave.

"You're a hypocrite, you know that right?" He sounded pretty pissed.

I nodded, agreeing completely. I pretty much was. One second I was getting on his case about Kitty, next I was coming clean about Pyro.

"For how long?"

"A few days." I was twisting the silver ring around my thumb, as I tried to figure out how to smooth everything over. "I was going to tell you sooner, but then you got hurt and…" I finished with a shrug.

"You're bitching about Kitty and then turn around with this?" He raised an eyebrow, then shook his head. "Amazing." I was quiet, as he sat and fumed next to me. "Kitty, isn't someone I'm risking my life over. She's not dangerous to me. I'm twice her size and would be out of her reach with just a _thought_. The possibility of her actually doing physical harm to me is almost non existent. I'm not leaving myself open to be betrayed by her. But you? Pyro is bad for you. He could really hurt you if he got angry enough, and maybe Wolverine is teaching you, but no hand to hand combat training will stop you from getting burned up. He-"

I stopped him right there. "He wouldn't." My tone leaving no room for arguing that particular matter. Pyro might be capable of a lot of things, but he wouldn't _ever_ lay a hand on me.

We glared at one another, before he broke the tense silence. "He's bad for you. How long do you think it's going to be before the Brotherhood is back? Do you really think you can keep narrowly escaping with your life?"

"They kicked him out."

Otto stared at me for a brief moment. "Bullshit."

I smirked bitterly. "That's what I thought too. Believe me when I say he wasn't happy when I started laughing because I thought it was a joke. I think it's true though."

"You can't just get kicked out of the Brotherhood." Otto argued.

"John wouldn't risk it. Not again." Last time we had both learned a lesson.

Otto scoffed. "John, huh?"

I frowned when I realized I'd called Pyro by his real name, not something I normally did in less it was just me and him. "I get it, you know." I said slowly. "Why you don't like me and him together. Trust me, I know how dangerous he can be, and I know how dangerous the situation is, and nothing with him is easy. We fight constantly, and the mutant and _homo sepien_ mess gets in the way sometimes." I took a deep breath, as tried to explain this. Otto was looking at me as he listened. Finally I shrugged. "But he keeps coming back, and I keep letting him in."

Otto shook his head, looking away. His expression said I was an idiot. "Why? You just said you argue all the time. Isn't that a sign that it's not working?"

I mulled that over for a moment. "I just think it's because he likes to argue, not that it's a sign it's not working. It's actually not that bad." Most of the time.

"He's a dick." Otto snapped at me, angrily. "But I guess you're gonna do what you want, and end up finding that out the hard way." That hard, angry look he used to serve me with was on his face. "Well when that happens, don't come looking for me to cry to."

"Otto-" Expect Otto obviously didn't want to hear what I had to say because he teleported away, leaving me alone on the damn roof. "That's cheating." I declared angrily and sulked for a few minutes, before making myself get off the roof. After returning the step later to it's place, I got in my car so I could cry in privacy, without worry someone would stumble across me.

I expected my apartment to be empty, but wiped at my face trying to fix the ruined make-up and dry it, just incase Pyro was there. Which, when I stepped into my little home, I found him there.

"I got food." He announced as I shut the door. "Because all you have is Captain Crunch and Spaghetti O's."

"Good. I like food." My voice a little too enthusiastic and I kept face turned down as I tried to hide the obvious evidence of my crying. If I'd had counted on him being here, I would have sucked it up and not gotten all weepy. "I'm just going to change real quick."

"But you didn't even look." He complained.

"Yes I did. It looks great." I actually had no idea what he had but made a bee line for my room anyway, not even realizing he was following me until I tried to close the bedroom door.

He stopped the door with his boot, startling me. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." I tried to sound convincing because I really did not want to talk to him about what just happened because there was no way he'd understand. "I'm fine. Just kind of tired. Not been getting much sleep thanks to someone." I headed for my dresser.

"Yea. Well, I don't remember making you cry."

"I haven't been crying." I hadn't let him get a look at my face, making sure he couldn't see my red puffy eyes and smeared makeup. "Why would you even say that?" I kept my back turned toward him and head bent as I reached into my dresser to pull out sweat pants and a t-shirt.

"Right." He said flatly. "Bell, you're in front of a mirror."

I glanced up, realized I was standing in front of the dresser with a mirror. I rolled my eyes at my own moronic act, before he caught my eye in the mirror.

"So. In less you come home everyday crying there's something wrong."

"I'm fine." I said with less vigor as I straightened up, and slammed the dressers draw shut.

"I'm not going to stop asking until you tell me." Pyro informed me.

"It's not a big deal." I reassured him.

"So I can know." When I didn't answer, he pushed away from the door frame and took a few steps into the room. "Bell." My name seemed to sound like a demand.

"John. It's stupid." I finally gave in, just to avoid a fight. "I told Otto about…you know."

"Guess he didn't like it then." Pyro's smirk was self satisfied.

I shook my head, wishing I'd just kept my mouth shut. "I knew you wouldn't get it." He didn't even care that it had hurt me, and that made me feel worse about the whole damn thing. "Just get out. I need to change."

Pyro took a few more steps toward me, almost close enough to touch. "I could help with that." His suggestion sounded like a joke, but I wasn't in a laughing mood.

"I'll be out in a minute." It sounded a little more snappish than I'd meant for it too.

Pyro frowned a little, then reached out and put a hand on the side of my neck. "What'd he say?" His thumb ran back and forth right behind my ear. "He say something about me? About us?"

I hesitated, not sure how much I really wanted to tell Pyro. "He thinks this is a mistake."

"'Course he does. How else would he see it?" He dipped down to look me directly in the eye, which I had been avoiding. "Do you think we are?"

No. Yes. Maybe. I don't know. I settled for, "I really hope not."

Pyro frowned a little. "Don't sound so sure yourself."

"I'm not. I just know it would be an even bigger mistake to call it quits now." I fisted a hand in his shirt, realizing we were standing only inches away now.

"Good to know I'm not the only one who thinks that way." He smiled a little, resting his forehead against mind. "We'll figure it out though, okay?"

"'K." I agreed feeling slightly better.

"And that _homo sepien_ crap you were talking about last night? About me holding it against you?" He took a breath and licked his lips. "It isn't easy for me, feeling like this about someone that's normal. But really? It's bothering me less and less."

I processed that for a moment, leaning away just enough to look at him. "That's not really an answer to my question." Did he or did he not hold it against me?

"Fine." He glared a little. "No. It's just frustrating."

Frustrating? My shoulders slumped.

"You're not to blame, okay? But this changes everything for me. About the way I think of myself, about how I think of _homo sapiens_, and other mutants. I'm not going to change over night, you want to make this work then you'll have to give me time. I kiss and touch you because of how I feel about _you_, not how I feel about people _like_ you. Stop getting mad because I'm not making fast enough progress for your liking."

I blinked, taken aback. He wasn't mad, just being firm and honest and straight forward, that seemed to be a rare thing from him. Pyro waited for my response, but what the heck did I say to all that?

"Did it happen over night for you?" He asked. "Did you wake up one morning loving all mutants?"

"No." I shook my head, remembering my first encounter with Dr. McCoy. "I guess I didn't think of it that way. You're right though. I don't mean to come off as mad, I just get worried."

He nodded in acceptance. "We'll make it work."

I blinked up at him, because that had sounded kind of like a promise, and he'd never promised me anything before. At least nothing that had sounded like he had plans on sticking around for awhile. I almost said something about that, but then he gave me one of those kisses that made me weak in the knees, and I lost all thoughts.

"Now," He said with a smirk when he pulled back some, "let me help you under dress."

Another kiss, then I reminded him, "You got us dinner."

"It's just pizza. We can reheat it later." He reassured me as the backs of my legs hit the bed and I realized he'd walked us over to the bed. "You've still got making up from last night to do, remember?"

And, well…yea…

**A/N: Thanks everyone for the reviews. Ya'll are simply awesome. **


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: Yea…I know. I don't even really have an excuse. **

**Also, I deleted what I'd posted for Chapter 31. Rewrote it, and reposted it with this. **

**So…yea. Let's do the damn thing.**

**XXX**

I leaned my head back as Pryo dropped a line of kisses down the column of my neck, then the hollow of my throat, moving lower still. I felt him slyly unbutton the first button of my blouse, then the next. As my shirt opened his kisses continued; warm and lingering as my skin was exposed to him. I bit my lip and clutched his shoulders, keeping him close.

"Oh my God!" A feminine voice that was not mine gasped.

My eyes popped open. Pyro jerked around to look over his shoulder, and I leaned to the left to see behind him. Rouge was standing in the living room, and could clearly see us on my bed down the small hall way, with the bedroom door open.

I didn't even have a chance to react to seeing her there before my brother appeared beside her and got an eyeful us too.

"You've got to fucking kidding me!" Pyro snarled. I wasn't sure if he was pissed that we'd been interrupted or if it was because Otto was here.

I started moving then. Buttoning up my shirt before Pyro could even get his hand out of it. I was almost kicking him away from me, mortified my big brother had seen me like this.

Pyro went charging from the room. Otto was cussing and snarling and calling Pyro every name he could think of. I stood and rushed forward after Pyro. Rogue was backing away as Otto and Pyro came face to face. Not that I blamed her.

Apparently they both seemed to really like the 'f' word. A lot. It was every other word out of either of their mouths. Pyro wanted to know why Otto was here? Otto told him I was his little sister, he could stop in anytime he wanted to. Pyro told him like hell he could. Otto wanted to know what Pyro doing back here in the first place. Pyro told Otto it was none of Otto's business. Otto demanded to know what Pyro thought he was doing touching his little sister. Pyro told him (and this is the extremely edited version) his little sister had been enjoying herself, and Pyro could touch her anytime damn well pleased because she's usually begging for-

Otto popped Pyro in the jaw. I totally wanted to applause him for it too, because Pyro had gone way, way too far. However, I refrained because Otto slugged him again before Pyro could recover from the first one.

I have to give Pyro credit; he stayed on his feet and took the hits. My brother is a big guy, and he's built like a brick house, so I know it must hurt getting hit by him. And while I wanted to hit Pyro myself didn't want to see him beat bloody. Rogue grabbed Otto's arm and I dove between them thinking I'd push them apart. However, Rogue was on Otto's left and Otto was swinging with his right. I realized too late he was mid swing when I'd jumped between them. His right fist connected with the left side of my head before anyone could do anything to stop it.

I stumbled back, into Pyro, who wrapped his arms around me as he caught me.

I was right about Otto's punches hurting. Let me just clarify for those whoever never been punched in the face, it's not fun. The movies make it look like it's no big deal, like it's nothing. Well they lie. It's definitely something.

I was also seeing stars as Pyro lowered us to the floor. "Bell ?" He touched my face. "Baby? Look at me."

"Oh my God." I said dazed and letting my head fall back against his shoulder. "That hurt."

Otto's and Rogue's face were hovering above us.

My brother reached out to touch me. " Bell , I'm-"

"Don't touch her." Pyro snarled so viscously I actually flinched from it. "Get the fuck away from her."

Otto, much to my surprise, backed away without protest. He was pale, and his mouth was a thin line.

"Don't." I told Pyro. "It was an accident."

I'm the one who'd jumped between them. Otto would never intentionally hurt me. Never.

"I don't care." Pyro's face was furious, like nothing I'd seen before. His touch was feather light as he checked the side of my head. "It's already starting to swell."

"I'll get some ice." Rouge started for the kitchen.

"I'm fine." I pushed Pyro's hand away. "You took two hits and you're still standing. I'll survive too."

"I don't care. No one hits you." Pyro brushed the hair back from the unhurt side of my face, hand trembling he was so angry. I pulled away and let him help me to my feet.

"I'm sorry." Otto finally said. "I'm so sorry." The sincerity and guilt pouring out of him was almost tangible.

Before I could say anything Pyro nailed Otto with a fist. This time I didn't get between them, I'd learned that lesson, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him back before he could hit Otto again.

"Stop!" I yelled at him. "Enough!" He struggled against me. "Please, John. Please!" He finally stopped.

"We should go." Rogue had returned with a dish towel full of ice, which she passed to me.

"Yes. You should." Pyro agreed with her, but it was directed at Otto. If looks could kill my brother would be dead.

Rogue moved toward Otto, and she rested her hand on his shoulder. "C'mon."

"I'm sorry." Otto said one last time before they both disappeared.

Pyro spun around and looked me over once again. Hands gently checking the place where I'd been hit. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine." I brushed his hands away, still angry over what he'd said.

"I'm going to kill him."

"No." I said firmly. "He's my brother. It was an accident. If you'd not been trying to provoke him, no one would have been hitting anyone." I reminded him. "Let it go."

"I'm not letting that go. He hit you." He said it like I hadn't been there for it.

"John." My shoulders slumped. "Please." I knew my brother would never hurt me, I'd thrown myself in the middle of that, not thinking.

"Bell ." He stressed my name like I was an out of hand two year old. Taking the towel full of ice from me, he pressed it against the swelling. I knew he was trying to be gentle but it still stung and I winced.

Taking the ice from him, I grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the bathroom. He had a spilt lip that needed to be cleaned up. Otto had certainly done a number on both of us.

"You need to wash that off." I told him, passing him a wash cloth and indicating the little bit of blood there. If I wasn't so queasy about blood, and I wasn't so angry over what he'd said I would have maybe helped him. As it was though, I just didn't even want to look at him.

Pyro tossed the wash cloth into the hamper behind him, then turned toward me. I reached up and brushed his hair back, looking at where he'd been hit. It was swelling, I took the ice I had and put it there. Unlike me he didn't wince when the cold touched his bruise.

What in the world had Rouge and Otto been doing here anyway? Funny, how that never came up.

Pryo let me hold the ice up to his face. "Are you okay?" I asked him quietly. He hadn't gone down like I had, but he'd taken a couple of bad hits, and as angry as I was I wanted to make sure he was alright. Before I kicked his ass.

"I'm fine." He pulled me closer with an arm around my waist before I could stop him. "But if you wanted to kiss it better…" He finished the sentence with a suggestive grin.

I rolled my eyes and made him take the ice as I pulled away. "I'm going to go call Rouge."

"Hey." He pulled me close again. "It can wait until tomorrow."

"No." I snapped at him. "I at least want to know why they came over."

Pryo dropped his arm and I left the bathroom in search of my cell phone. A text message from Rogue telling me that her and Otto were about to stop by.

Rogue answered on the second ring.

"What just happened?" I blurted out as soon as picked up.

"This is my fault." She answered.

"What? How?" I didn't think she was to blame.

Rogue told me that she'd ran into Otto, asked him if he knew why I had been so distracted lately. He'd apparently told her Pyro was back, and he'd obviously been pissed about it. She managed to talk him down, and remind him the Pyro wasn't all bad. Even managed to convince him that they should pay us a visit and try to just get things out in the open, maybe make peace.

I soaked that in.

"Please don't be mad." She said when I didn't respond.

"I'm not. And I'm not blaming you for this. This was both of their faults." I sighned. "How mad was he when y'all got back?"

"I don't know." She answered. "All he said was he hadn't meant to hit you. Which, by the way, what the hell were you thinking to jump in the middle of them in the first place?"

"Apparently, I wasn't thinking." That hadn't really been my smartest move.

"I have never seen your brother show so much of what he was feeling on his face, but he felt terrible over hitting you."

"It was my fault that had happened, but he shouldn't have hit John in the first place."

Rogue snorted. "I can't believe Pyro said that to him."

"Yea. Speaking of, I need to go deal with that. I'll talk to you tomorrow." We said our goodbyes, and I went to find Pyro.

Who was sitting on the couch. "Well?" He asked.

"They were coming over to see if things could be worked out, Rogue somehow managed to reason with him, when I hadn't been able to." I put my hands on my hips. "You know, John, things could have gone a lot better if you hadn't started mouthing off."

"So it's my fault he hit me?" Pyro stood up so we were right in front of each other.

"You told him you could do whatever you wanted to me whenever, because I was-and I quote-"begging to get fucked." What the hell were you thinking! I can't believe you would say something like that about me! Much less to my brother!" If I'd not been rattled so much by getting punched I would have already given him a piece of my mind.

"So what I said was worse than your brother hitting you? Maybe that's what I should start doing, accidently hitting you every time you get in front of me."

"Don't!" I snapped at him. "I stepped between the two of you because I didn't want him to hurt you. But truthfully, John, I wanted to hit you for saying that. How could you say something like that about me?" I asked.

Pyro shrugged. "It's not like it's a big deal. I was just saying shit."

"So basically you'll disrespect me whenever you want, just so you can piss my brother off?"

He opened his mouth to respond but I cut him off. "Save it. You're sleeping on the couch." I stomped off to my room and slammed the door.

Pyro followed, beat on the door, demanding I unlock it, threating to break the it down, and accusing me of over reacting. I ignored him until he finally stopped. Hours later, when it was after midnight, he came back knocking much more subdued, asking that I please let him back in. Couldn't we talk about this? I lay in bed listening to him, not saying a word.

XXX

The next morning I snuck out, passing Pyro sleeping on the couch with no pillow or blanket, and headed work.

I waited until after work to talk to Otto. I figured it would give him time to cool off if he was still angry. I found him in the gym, pounding away at a punching bag.

"Hey." I said, hitching my purse up higher on my shoulder. "I talked to Rogue." I felt a little guilty that

he'd been trying to patch things up after our fight from yesterday and things had gone so terrible wrong.

Otto paused but wouldn't look directly at me.

"I should have called first." He was actually turning a little red and still wasn't actually looking at me. "I never meant to hit you. I would never do that on purpose. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Nothing a little make-up can't fix."

Otto flinched. "I left a bruise?" That finally got him to look at me, and he looked so guilty and regretfully I just wanted to comfort him.

"Let's just forget okay? I shouldn't have jumped in the middle." And really, what person with common sense would have jumped in the middle of that in the first place?

"I shouldn't have hit him."

"No. You shouldn't have." I agreed readily. I was more than willing to rake him over the coals for hitting Pyro, even though I wished I'd had the chance to hit Pyro. "You know he pops off at the mouth, doesn't ever know when to shut up."

"You're still my little sister." He defended himself. "I'm not going to listen to anyone talk about you like that." He ran a hand through his hair. "I mean hell, do you think I'd talk like that about a girl I'd just been…caught…with?" He stumbled awkwardly over his words, and I blushed. "I should have called first." He sighed, not looking at me again.

I shook my head. "Look, you're right about that, and trust me we had it out last night about. But, I've learned that when it comes to Pyro, I have to ignore about 85% of what he says." Was I really defending Pyro? I was still so angry with him.

My brother rolled his eyes. "Please tell me he does not talk like that to you?"

"No, we bicker a lot, but he doesn't say things like that to me. Ever. He was pissed that you and Rogue showed up when y'all did, and you were ready to rip his head off from the jump. I mean, would you want to play nice with someone that just popped into your house and…interrupted you?" I blushed more. "And then they wanted to kick your ass for it? Just out of nowhere?"

"I wouldn't act like a dick if it had been her brother."

I raised an eyebrow. "Yes, you would have. Maybe not before you went and joined the Brotherhood, but since? Yes. You would have. You've gotten a hell of a lot more aggressive since leaving home." I watched him clench his jaw, but didn't say anything. "And, look I get it. You hate John, and he's no fan of yours either and you two want to tear into each other every chance you get, but…" I shook my head, thought better of what I was going to say, then sighed. "He doesn't know to when shut up. I wanted to kill him for what he said, but you beat me to it."

"But?" He prompted, wanting to know what I'd decided not to say.

"But I'm the one who gets caught between you two." I finished quietly.

Shamefaced, Otto turned away.

"Look, I'm not asking that you two become bff's or anything. I get that y'all hate each other, but just try to be more civil."

"I don't hate him. I hate him being with you." He clarified. "He's dangerous and he's not going to treat you like you should be treated." Otto shook his head, like he couldn't believe he was about to say, "But I'll try, okay? I'm not making any promises."

"Thank you." I smiled. "No more hitting, not unless he hits you first. In that case kick his ass." It was supposed to be a joke but he looked guilty.

"I'm so sorry I hit you. I swear I never would have purposefully done that."

I reached out to touch his arm. "I know that, Otto. I really do. I don't blame you, and I'm not mad." I smiled. "Now let's just forget about it, okay?"

He tried to force a smile for me, but it missed its mark.

"If it makes you feel better, I'm we're not speaking. We had a huge fight; he slept on the couch, which he was not happy about."

Otto snorted.

I left him shortly after and I went home to find an empty apartment.


	32. Chapter 32

**If you're still reading this, then you're a saint. **

**If you're interested I've posted the first chapter of Otto's story, titled "We're All Guilty****."**

* * *

I stalked around the apartment, making sure his things were still there before I panicked and freaked out. Once I had assured myself that he hadn't left me for good, I allowed myself to get back to being angry. To keep myself busy, I started cleaning the kitchen. I hated cleaning, but it was wash dishes or study and there was no way I'd be able to focus enough to retain information. By the time I heard the front door open and close there wasn't a speck of dust to be seen anywhere.

I tossed the now dried pots into the cabinet they belonged in then slammed the cabinet door closed. Turning toward Pyro, who was lingering by the breakfast bar that separate the kitchen from the living room, I glared.

He smirked back at me, like he thought it was funny that I was still angry.

"Are you not the least bit sorry about what you said?" I resisted whining the words, and settled for putting my hands on my hips.

Pyro sighed in exasperation, and moved further into the room.

"Can you not understand w-"

He moved faster than I was prepared for and kissed me. Caught off guard, I froze, then despite my anger I found myself responding to him. Melting for him made me frustrated at myself. I had no willpower where he was concerned. Reaching behind, I gripped the counter, refusing to pull him closer. I was already encouraging him enough just by kissing back. He was not going to distract me from my anger. I was going to stand my ground… A small whimper escaped from me, and I mentally cursed both of us. He was too good at this. I could feel that cocky little smile starting before he pulled away.

Pyro, looking smug, used a thumb to wipe the lip gloss away from his mouth. "You have got to stop wearing this crap."

"Never happening." I snapped at him. Turning around, I started rearranging the canisters that I'd already done twice since getting home. He apparently thought he could just kiss me or whatever, and I'd forget all about everything.

"Bell."

"What?" I snapped, as I allowed myself to be tugged back around to face him.

"I was wrong."

Surprised, I blinked. Even though that's what I'd wanted to hear from him, I realized I hadn't actually expected to get it without more of a fight.

Pyro cleared his throat like he was uncomfortable. "It will never happen again."

"That's all I wanted to hear." I admitted. The tension left me suddenly.

He surprised me again, when a flash of relief crossed his face, but it vanished just as quickly. "Good."

My shoulders slumped, but I let him slide his arms around me and I wrapped my mine around his neck. "If you say something like that about me again, I'll beat you up."

"I'd like to see you try." He chuckled.

I sighed, laying my head against his shoulder. "Why'd you kiss me?" I asked absently, so thankful the fight was over, and his arms were around me. I knew why he'd done kissed me, but I wanted the chance to tell him that it hadn't worked.

"To see if you'd let me." He said like it was the most obvious thing.

I scoffed a little. "When have I ever stopped you?"

Pyro didn't say anything for a long moment, and I didn't think he would until finally he said. "You could, you know?"

Confused, I frowned and leaned back to look at him. "What?"

"Say no."

I got the odd feeling he was trying to say something here that I just wasn't following. The puzzlement must been on my face because he continued.

"I mean, that's all you have to say. That's all you've ever had to say." The lack of his usual arrogance surprised me.

"John. I know that. Where in the world is this coming from?"

"No where. It's nothing." He looked so uncomfortable, like he wanted to get away. He tried to pull away from me, but I refused to let him.

"Look, if you think I got mad because of whatever you're thinking. It was over what you said. Nothing else." I had no idea what was going through his head.

"I know." He said, still looking like he was ready to bolt.

"Tell me what you're thinking." I demand, because there was something bothering him, and I couldn't figure it out.

"Nothing." He said way too fast.

"We'll be here all night." I laced my figures together behind his neck, making myself more comfortable and therefore reiterating my point.

"Forget it." He tried to move away again, but I wasn't having it.

Pyro looked up at the ceiling like he was trying to find a way out through it, before relenting. "I was thinking about us. About you being a _homo sapien_." I let the _homo sapien_ slide this time. "And that I'm a mutant. And things can seem imbalanced in this situation."

"Whoa." I held my hands up. "If you say that you're better than me, or that because you're a mutant you're-"

"No," He stopped me. "I'm trying to make sure you know that it's not like that. We're equals."

I processed that for a second. I thought this had already been established. "Have I ever given you the impression I didn't think that?" I frowned, trying to remember.

He gave me a shrug. "Last night was the first time you've said no, but you let me kiss you when I got here. And with the way we started with kidnapping you…" He trailed off, not looking at me. "I just need to make sure."

"I'm not afraid of you. I've always known that I could say no. I was the one who told you we were equals, remember?"

Pyro nodded, still looking ready to run. I'd always known that relationship talk wasn't really something he was into but this was making me think it was just plain difficult for him.

"And hey," I reached up and put my hands on either side of his face. "Just to make sure this is said, I don't hold the kidnapping against you." I paused before adding, "You're not worried about that, though, right?"

"Why would I be?" He answered in that arrogant way of his. I got the feeling he'd had enough and was putting an end to this conversation.

"John." I stressed his name.

"Bell." Pyro mimicked me, causing me to frown at him. "We made our points. Let's drop it now." He said.

I was not going to be blocked out, so I changed tactics and move things in a direction he was more comfortable with. I placed one of my hands on his waist. There were other ways to get him to see I meant what I said. "You're right. I mean, yes you can wield fire, and that makes you very powerful. I don't have a mutation, but I've got gifts of my own." I slipped the hand at his waist up his shirt, running it over his stomach.

Pyro relaxed, but his muscles flexed under my touch, reminding me that I affected him too. "Are you saying that you have some power over me?"

"No, I'm saying that I'm talented." I laughed a little.

He grinned. "I've got a terrible memory. Maybe you could show me again."

"Oh I will." I leaned in, my lips hovering over his. "Right after you take me to dinner first." A quick kiss, I was being a tease. "Some place nice."

That made his pause. "Really?" He looked at me like he wasn't sure if I was joking.

"Yes. I have these heels that I've been dying to wear, but I haven't gotten the chance to yet."

"Like a date?" He looked at me like I'd lost my mind.

"Exactly." I patted his shoulder. "We haven't had one." Then I caught sight of the clock on the wall behind him, and my shoulders slumped. "But looks like you're off the hook for it being someplace nice. It's already nine." Damn, I really had wanted to get dressed up too. I hadn't been kidding about those heels.

XXX

Pyro and I settled on the retro burger place a few blocks from the apartment, and by the time we reached it he was back to his cocky self again.

"It's out first date." I informed him, after we had sat down with our food.

"I wish I would have known sooner that all I had to do was buy you some fast food. We would have hit Burger King that first night I came to see you."

I kicked him under the table. "You just called me cheap."

He smirked in answer.

"That's not a way to get back in my good graces." I dipped a fry in ketchup before taking a bit.

Then out of nowhere he threw me a curve ball. "I've got an interview Monday."

"What?" I blinked, not sure I'd heard him right.

"A job interview." He repeated himself.

"Job?" Both my eyebrows shot up.

"You're a parrot now?" He leaned back in his seat.

"Doing what?" I ignored his smart mouth question.

"There's a computer repair show a few blocks from the apartment."

"You know how to do that sort of thing?" Did they teach trade in the Brotherhood?

"I didn't grow up planning to be a terrorist."

"Ssshhh!" I looked around franticly in case someone had heard him.

Pyro shrugged, apparently not worried that someone might be listening. "I'm pretty good at it."

I stared at him, trying to wrap my head around how this could possibly work. "Won't…I mean…Aren't they going to know it's _you_?" I glanced around again, trying to see if anyone was listening.

"Stop." Pyro reached and laid a hand over mine. "No one is paying attention, but if you keep looking suspicious people are going to notice."

My face heated up. An expert on hiding I was not.

"I've got it covered." He didn't move his hand from mine, and the simple touch warmed me. "If anyone asks, it's John Parker now."

A new identity? "How did you manage that?"

The only answer I got was a wink, because you know, that would explain it all. I glared a little.

"I learned a lot in the Brotherhood."

I resisted looking around again. I wasn't comfortable talking about this there, even if we were speaking quietly. "Lets go." I'd lost my appetite anyway. Once we were out side I breathed a little easier. "Will it work?" I asked refereeing to his plan, as I put my arm through his and we started walking home.

"Doubt me?"

"No. I'm worried." I admitted. This was such a big risk.

"I know what I'm doing." He was so confident, a total one-eighty from earlier.

"Maybe we could figure out something else for now." I suggested.

"What? Like I sit in your apartment all day, while you go to work and pay all the bills by yourself?" He shook his head at me. "I'll pay my own way."

I sighed, trying to think up any alternative ideas to offer, especially since I knew there was no hope of him going to the Professor for anything. Finally, when the apartment was in sight I said, "Just promise me you'll be safe."

"Aren't I always?" He grinned at me.

My only answer to that was to roll my eyes.

We made it into the apartment, and later while I was trying to fall asleep my mind kept going over the conversation we'd had before dinner. Pyro was pressed closed, his chest to my back, and sound asleep. It was amazing how quickly guys were out after all the action was over.

I wasn't so lucky. I was truly frightened that something would go wrong with this job thing and that Pyro would get caught. It wasn't like his face hadn't been blasted all over the news at the same time Otto's had been. Granted that had been, what? A year ago, maybe a littler more. Perhaps things had blown over enough that it wasn't the big risk that I was so afraid of. Otto didn't seem concerned that he'd be caught. Then again he didn't really leave the school all that often.

I worried my lower lip. It was one thing to go and get a meal somewhere, but to give a false name for employment? That was just asking for trouble. What if after everything, that's how I lost him?

That line of thought was enough to cause me panic, so I tried to think of something else. Like, where in the world had it come from that Pyro was worried about me knowing we were equals in this relationship? It had been unsettling seeing him lacking the sarcasm, and confidence that made up ninety percent of his personality. He hadn't been comfortable at all, but it apparently it had weighed on his mind enough that he'd needed to make certain I knew. The concern warmed me, but I didn't want him doubting that I what we did was in anyway because I was afraid of him.

We would have to talk about this again. In fact, we would have to work on communication period.


End file.
